Plastics in oceans

In 1971, marine biologist Edward Carpenter made a shocking discovery finding small bits of plastics floating thousands of miles of the east coast of America in the Atlantic Ocean.

More than 50 years later he tells the story of how he had to fight hard to get the scientific world to take notice of his discovery.

He also tells Alex Collins about when plastics in oceans went viral.

(Photo: Plastic floating in water. Credit: Getty Images)