This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: It's no secret that plastic and other human trash are a problem for marine life, but our understanding has long focused on the ocean's surface. As described in a study published in PLOS One, a more complete picture is coming into focus, revealing that even some of our planet's greatest depths have become home to our debris.
An international team led by Dr. Daniel Lauretta of Argentina's natural science museum surveyed the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon in the southwestern Atlantic, finding that our trash has accumulated in a part of the planet we typically consider pristine. The ocean's depths remain one of Earth's greatest unknowns, but as the fish swims—or as the debris sinks—the seafloor is not all that distant.
On average, our oceans are just a few miles deep and thus not so far from human influence. The study, which took place in summer 2025, marked the first time scientists had taken images of the seafloor within the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon. They documented approximately 40 species that may be new to science, but also some more familiar sights.
Across 10 of the 17 dives with a remotely operated submersible, the researchers saw 29 identifiable man-made objects. The vast majority were plastic, along with a few rubber items. They ranged from fishing gear to plastic bags and food wrappers, and even a boot.
Some were buried in the sediment, while others were trapped in rocks or still drifting. The researchers observed more litter inside the canyon than in the surrounding area, suggesting the geography and currents funneled these items into the fissure. Researchers observed that some animals also interacted with the waste.
Mobile creatures like crustaceans had transient interactions, while more stationary creatures—like starfish and corals—had attached to some debris, often partially subsuming plastic packaging and fishing ropes. Though life was present, the team cautioned that we can't assume these objects are suitable habitats. This is not the only time scientists have found traces of our trash so far below the surface.
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