What is the worst type of marine debris?
Plastic is arguably the most harmful type of marine debris because it never breaks down; it breaks up into smaller particles, causing lasting harm to marine life and ecosystems.
While the scale of harm and species/habitats most at-risk depends on a variety of factors, including particle size, shape, age, and the chemicals incorporated at the time of manufacture, all plastics are harmful because they are inappropriately used/disposed of and produced at a scale that society cannot safely manage.