The coast of the Bohuslän province, a popular seaside resort in western Sweden, is famous for its beautiful nature, salt baths, spectacular cliffs and endless hours of sunshine, yet over the past few years has turned into Europe's very own dump, with the situation rapidly deteriorating.
"It is worrying," Per Nilsson, a researcher at the University of Gothenburg, told Swedish Television SVT. "Bohuslän is like a filter. There are tons of rubbish washed ashore on the beaches of Europe. Most of the litter is then washed back into the sea, but here the garbage seems to stay," Peter Nilsson noted.
According to Per Nilsson, who studies marine debris, the amount of garbage washed ashore has risen dramatically over the past two years. Now, up to 20,000 foreign objects per 100 meters are found, which is 20 times above the "norm."
"This is the highest level we've ever measured. What it depends on is still something of a mystery. Also, we have not figured out yet whether it is a temporary effect or a long-term trend," says Per Nilsson.
"At present, Bohuslän is one of the most affected areas in Europe. It is here that we find the largest amount of litter in, basically, the whole Northeast Atlantic," Per Nilsson says.
Planera semester mha @Skargardsstift nya vänbok! #sommar #skargard #balticsea https://t.co/u0ktXcvUNF pic.twitter.com/6haloCZgGj
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