Experts predict that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the world's oceans than fish.
A new study by scientists at the British Museum has revealed a new disease in seabirds called "plastikosis". The British study was published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
Experts studied wild species of seabirds and found that half of the thick-billed petrels on the Australian island of Lord Howe had particles of plastic in their stomachs, which caused severe scarring and inflammation on the walls of the organ.
Plastic does a lot of damage not only to the stomach, but also to the immune system of birds. As a result, they can not absorb vitamins from normal food.
Scientists point out that birds mistake plastic particles for fish roe, which is a staple in the diet of sea birds.