A study has discovered there is less plastic littering the ocean than scientists previously thought, but what is there could persist for a long time.
The study estimated that more than 95 per cent of plastic floating on the ocean are pieces bigger than 2.5cm.
Most plastic particles in the ocean are very small and the total mass of these microplastics, which are defined as less than 0.5cm, is relatively low.
The greater number of larger floating pieces suggests that the total amount of plastic in the ocean is "much lower" than was thought, according to the study published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Plastic pollution in the ocean has been estimated at more than 25 million tonnes, with a quarter of a million tonnes floating on the surface.
But the study said that the amount of plastic on the ocean surface is much higher, at about three million tonnes.
That the plastic is floating around in large pieces could help with clean-up efforts.
"Large, floating pieces on the surface are easier to clean up than microplastics," the study's co-author Erik van Sebille, of Utrecht University in the Netherlands, said in a statement.
Top 10 most-polluted countries - in pictures
The results are based on a 3D model of the ocean using a huge amount of observational data and measurements taken from surface water, beaches and the deep ocean from 1980 to 2020.
The model also found that less new plastic finds its way to the ocean every year than previously thought – about half a million tonnes instead of between four and 12 million tonnes – coming largely from coastlines and fishing activity.
But the combination of more surface plastic and less new plastic suggests that the litter will probably remain in the ocean for much longer than previously believed.
"It means that it will take longer until the effects of measures to combat plastic waste will be visible," said the study's lead, Mikael Kaandorp.
"If we don't take action now, the effects will be felt for much longer."
And the amount of plastic pollution in the world's oceans is still growing.
Without further mitigation and cleaning up, the lingering litter could double within two decades, according to the study's authors.
Concern over the effects of plastics on the environment and human well-being has surged in recent years.
Plastic debris is estimated to kill more than a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals a year, according to the UN Environment Programme.
The study comes as the world awaits the first draft of a highly anticipated international UN treaty to combat plastic pollution, which is expected in November.
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
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UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
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Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
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THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
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