Cigarette Butts Are A Hidden Threat To California’s Horn Sharks – Forbes

Juvenile horn shark (Heterodontus francisci) at the Monterey Bay Aquarium (by Erik Ogan CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia).

Marine debris continues to be a pressing environmental issue worldwide, particularly plastic waste, which often originates from land-based sources and can break down into microplastics. While many types of waste contribute to marine pollution, cigarette butts are the most commonly found form of plastic waste, and they pose unique threats to ocean ecosystems…