(WHDH) — A pregnant sperm whale that was recently found washed up on the Italian island of Sardinia had nearly 50 pounds of plastic and garbage in its stomach, an official said.
Italian politician Sergio Costa said in a Facebook post that the whale, which was carrying a dead fetus, had 22 kilograms (49 pounds) of garbage bags, fishing nets, plates and washing machine liquid.
Luca Bittau, president of the SeaMe group, told CNN that the fetus was in an “advanced state of composition.”
“The war on disposable plastic has begun. And we won’t stop here,” Costa wrote in the post.
A new European law banning single-use plastic items, such as straws, cotton buds, and cutlery is set to take effect by 2021.
The cause of the 26-foot whale’s death is under investigation.
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