Why in news?
- Plastic rust,’ a form of plastic pollution never-before-seen on Earth’s coastlines, was found on shoreline rocks in Madeira, Portugal.
What is plastic rust?
- Plastic Rust is a layer of plastic encrusted onto ocean rocks.
- In 2016, researchers first observed blue and grey plastic patches on Madeira.
- The single patch discovered three years ago now covers 10 percent of its shore.
- The artificial crust is replacing natural crusts and films, making it difficult for barnacles and snails to adhere to their preferred habitat.
- The snails may be unknowingly ingesting plastic as they feed on algae perched on the plastic rust.
