How Does Plastic Pollution Affect Coral Reefs

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Plastic Pollution Carries Diseases to Coral Reefs Around eight million of plastic ends up in oceans from land each year. A water bottle that ends up in the ocean, takes about 450 years to decompose. The tons of plastic that end up in the ocean, stay there for a long time. Marine scientists have discovered, plastic is killing coral reefs. Scientists have studied 159 coral reefs for 4 years in 4 countries, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar. The study shows that the coral reefs are excessively contaminated with plastic. When plastic clings to coral it sickens or kills it. When coral comes in contact with plastic the likelihood of disease increases from 4% to 89%. Plastic tears open the skin of corals, allowing an infection to start anywhere.

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