BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhuanet）-- Plastic, believed to be a long-lasting hard-to-break-down pollutant, does decompose in the oceans.

    Katsuhiko Saido, a chemist at Nihon University, Chiba, Japan, presented his findings at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society on Wednesday, according to media reports.

    Plastic in the ocean actually decomposes as it is exposed to the rain and sun and other environmental conditions, giving rise to yet another source of global contamination that will continue into the future, said Saido in the statement.

    Saido reported that the decomposing plastics release potentially toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A and PS oligomer, which can disrupt the functioning of hormones in animals.    

    Thousands of tons of plastic debris wind up in the oceans every year, some of it washing up on coasts, some being swirled by currents into the Great Pacific Garbage Patch between California and Hawaii, said to be larger than Texas.

    (Agencies)