In its many forms, rubbish is a constant threat.

Marine debris, such as plastic bags and discarded fishing line, is often ingested by sea turtles who mistake floating rubbish for food. Small pieces of plastic are often unavoidably eaten whilst foraging on the sea floor and tiny crumbs of floating polystyrene are eaten by hatchlings on the sea surface. This is known to cause death, either by gradually choking the turtle or blocking the gut so it can’t feed.

Sea turtles can also become entangled in larger discarded non-biodegradable items such as tyres and plastic containers.