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According to the peer-reviewed study, ‘A growing plastic smog, now estimated to be over 170 trillion plastic particles afloat in the world’s oceans—Urgent solutions required’published in the journal PLoS ONE,  an estimated 170 trillion plastic particles weighing about 2 million metric tons are currently afloat in the oceans around the globe if no urgent action is taken, then this number could nearly triple by 2040.Microplastics are particularly harmful to the oceans as they don’t readily break down into harmless molecules and adversely affect the health of marine organisms, which mistake plastic for food. Moreover, these particles can trigger loss of biodiversity and threaten ecosystem balance.