Figure 1.

Plastic debris in seagrass remains. (A) Pie chart illustrating size of plastic debris (microplastics < 5 mm, mesoplastics 5–25 mm, and macroplastics > 25 mm), and type of plastic (filaments and fibers, fragments, films, foams, pellets and sticks) found in beached aegagropilae (EG) and loose leaves (wracks). (B) Relative abundance of each plastic polymer in plastic waste generation, floating plastic debris, plastic debris in loose leaves and aegagropilae (EG) vs. polymer density. Plastic waste generation is from Geyer et al.⁶⁴, and plastic polymers floating at the sea surface are from Suaria et al.⁴³. Only plastic polymers with percentages > 1% in at least two matrices (floating, leaves, EG) are taken into account. PA polyamide, PE polyethylene, PET polyethylene terephthalate, PP polypropylene, PS polyestyrene, PU polyurethane, PVC polyvinyl chloride.