New study shows that most plastic debris on Seychelles beaches comes from far-off sources

Indonesia is the primary source of land-based plastic debris found on beaches in the Seychelles, with major contributions from India and Sri Lanka. Plastic debris arriving from Indonesia would have been at sea for at least 6 months, with some exceeding 2 years. Smaller plastic debris, such as millimetre-sized plastic fragments and pellets, tended to originate from East Africa and from within the Seychelles itself. May to June) to reduce the likelihood of plastic debris breaking down into smaller fragments and impacting ecosystems. The study ‘Sources of marine debris for Seychelles and other remote islands in the western Indian Ocean’ has been published in Marine Pollution Bulletin.