The images show a red-footed booby and washed up plastic fragments on Christmas Island in the northeast Indian Ocean, somewhere between Australia and Indonesia. Despite comprehensive weekly coastal cleanups, flip flops, bottles, lighters or tooth brushes made of plastic are washed up. Hidden in the sand, the micro plastic appears.
Photo: Britta Denise Hardesty, Location: Christmas (Australia)
A halt of the sea currents which transport the waste onto the remote island is not happening. Particularly affected is Greta Beach, now also known as Flip Flop Beach. Normally turtles breed there. However, the large amount of waste leaves them almost no space.
Photo: Britta Denise Hardesty, Location: Christmas Island (Australia)