Plastic pollution is a very slow and insidious problem that affects almost every corner of the world, from Everest to the depths of the Mariana Trench. Places where plastic accumulates often face severe environmental issues. What happens when a previously very clean nature reserve in Norway becomes one of the most polluted areas in the country? The Froan Nature Reserve is one of the largest terrestrial reserves in Scandinavia. The reserve includes a series of small islands inhabited by birds, seals and other animals. Unfortunately, coastal currents tend to wash up pollution from the sea.

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have mapped the plastic pollution sites for the first time. Since 2017, 5.5 million litres of waste washed up from the sea have been collected from the reserve and its surrounding areas, as well as 14.2 tonnes of oil and other types of chemical liquids.