Study Detects Plastic in All Marine Habitats at the Galapagos Islands Written by AZoCleantechMay 31 2021 The Galapagos Islands were found to be polluted with plastic on beaches, in seawater, and within marine animals. Plastic sampling on a beach in Galapagos. Image Credit Adam Porter. A recent study, performed by the University of Exeter, Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT), and the Galapagos Science Center, discovered that plastic was present in all aquatic habitats at the island of San Cristobal in which Charles Darwin initially landed in Galapagos. In fact, over 400 plastic particles were detected for each square meter of beach at the worst “hotspots,” such as a beach utilized by the rare “Godzilla” marine iguana. Plastic was even detected inside more than 50% of the marine invertebrates (like urchins and barnacles) analyzed, as well as on the seabed.