**The Mariana Trench: Plastic at the Ocean’s Deepest Point**

The Mariana Trench, once believed untouched, now shows clear signs of human impact—*“the discovery of a plastic bag at its bottom has shattered that belief.”*

Despite its remoteness, it hosts rich marine life now under threat. A study revealed that *“17% of plastic images in the Deep-Sea Debris Database showed harmful interactions with marine animals,”* including ingestion and entanglement.

Most of the plastic—*“89%”—*is single-use and comes from land, especially rivers in densely populated areas. Discarded fishing gear and direct ship dumping also add to the problem.

Plastic pollution doesn’t stop at the surface. It breaks down into microplastics and toxic chemicals, reaching deep-sea ecosystems and disrupting marine life.

This finding is a wake-up call: *“a powerful… urge for global action to reduce plastic use, improve waste management, and protect our oceans.”*