‘Terrifying’ plastic rocks found on remote Brazilian island, highlight pollution hazard

The most recent evidence that plastic pollution has turned into a massive global hazard is the discovery of rocks fused with melted plastic on a remote Brazilian island best known for being a green turtle breeding area. Scientists have long been interested in the geology of Brazil's volcanic Trindade Island, but recent discoveries of rocks made from plastic debris in this remote turtle refuge have raised concerns.

According to reports, melted plastic has become intertwined with rocks on the island which is located 1,140 km (708 miles) from the southeastern state of Espirito Santo. Researchers say it is evidence of humans' growing influence over the earth's geological cycles.

“This is new and terrifying at the same time, because pollution has reached geology,” said Fernanda Avelar Santos, a geologist at the Federal University of Parana.

Reports suggest that researchers ran chemical tests to identify what kind of plastics are in the rocks called “plastiglomerates” because they are made of a mixture of sedimentary granules and other debris held together by plastic.

Speaking to reporters, Santos said, "We identified the pollution mainly comes from fishing nets, which is very common debris on Trinidade Island’s beaches. The nets are dragged by the marine currents and accumulate on the beach. When the temperature rises, this plastic melts and becomes embedded with the beach’s natural material."

He further asserted that the place where we found these samples of plastic is a permanently preserved area in Brazil, near the place green turtles lay their eggs.