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Report: Amount Of Plastic In Sediment Has Doubled Every 15 Years

Jenni Brandon, a researcher at Birch Aquarium, showcases some of the microplastics she's collected, June 4, 2019.
Shalina Chatlani
Jenni Brandon, a researcher at Birch Aquarium, showcases some of the microplastics she's collected, June 4, 2019.
A new study published in the journal Science Advances by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego analyzed sediment from the Santa Barbara Basin.

Since World War II, the use of plastics has soared in the United States and around the world.

Coupled with a huge surge in population, especially along the coasts, it’s not surprising that plastic pollution in the ocean is exploding as well.

A new study published in the journal Science Advances by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego analyzed sediment from the Santa Barbara Basin. It showed that the amount of microscopic plastics has doubled about every 15 years since the 1940s.

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The lead author of the study, microplastics biologist Jennifer Brandon, joins Midday Edition on Wednesday to discuss the study's conclusions.