Explained: What are plastic rocks raising the eyebrows of experts

New Delhi: Our planet is full of mystery and scientists across the globe are engrossed in untangling these threads. While some findings bring a smile to the faces of experts, others bring concern along with them. One such new finding is plastic rock, which has been raising the eyebrows of experts.

Although rocks are considered to be major parts of human development, this rock will choke human as well as marine life. What are plastic rocks? Basically, plastic rocks are distinctive deposits that are primarily formed by compressed rock and plastic waste discarded by human beings. These strange plastic rocks are a major concern about the rising threat of plastic pollution.

The blend of plastic particles and the earth’s environment adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat. Where to find plastic rocks? Well, there is no specific location or country to take a glimpse of this rock, as numerous places across the globe are the home of these rocks. If reports are to go by, 11 countries across five continents have witnessed such rocks along coastlines and inland areas.

These findings serve as alarming factors with regards to the problem of plastic pollution. This will not only harm the ecological balance of the ocean but will also pose threats to human health. Countries where plastic rocks have been discovered Plastic rocks have been discovered in India, the Spanish Curry Island, Brazil, China, Bangladesh, Hawaii, Peru, Portugal, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Their widespread occurrence highlights the global crisis of plastic pollution and its complications. Humans are the main reason behind the formation of plastic rocks through their contribution to plastic pollution. According to reports, around 22-48 million metric tonnes of plastic waste are discarded by human beings annually.

Plastic rocks: A subject of debate This new revelation has sparked debate among the scientist community about what to name these plastic rocks. Plastistone, plastiglomerate, plasticrust, plastitar, plastisandstone and anthropoquinas are some of the proposed terms for the nomenclature of these plastic-infused rocks. All these different terms have been proposed to describe how the plastic rocks are formed in specific ways.

The discovery of the first plastic rock It was Geologist Patricia Corcoran, who brought these plastic rocks into light nearly a decade ago. She discovered the first such rock in Hawaii, an island state in the Western United States, and coined the term ‘plastiglomerate. ’ Deyi Hou, an associate professor of environment at Tsinghua University, and his team, who have taken the lead in investigating this phenomenon, reported that the first plastic rocks were found inland.

Their report shed light on the chemical bonding between plastic and rock. Later, the existence of plastic rocks was confirmed in 11 countries across five continents. How are these rocks formed? According to the report title “Plastistone: An emerging type of sedimentary rock” by Deyi Hou, the rocks are formed with the combination of molten plastic, clasts from rock, sand grains, shells, coral, and wood debris after campfire burning on Kamilo Beach, Hawaii, USA.

However, the research paper termed these plastic rocks plastistones. Moreover, ocean waves also play a pivotal role in the formation of plastic rocks. The waves bring plastics containing oil-spill to the contact of sands.

Attached to rocks, these plastics undergo partial evaporation, and solidify, forming plastic rocks. Additionally, chemical binding, facilitated by sunlight-induced plastic oxidation, helps in the production of plastistone. .