A group of divers has been out hunting on the Wellington coast - not for treasure but for rubbish.
The big clean-up came as a new study found microplastics in every single sample of sea sponge taken from the area's coastline.
Beneath the calm waters of Evans Bay lie piles and piles of rubbish.
"A lot of people don't realise how much is actually underneath, and despite being the small city that we are, a large amount of stuff is coming out," said Ghost Diving spokesperson Eddie Howard.
A group of volunteer divers was out in the popular bay on Saturday morning hunting for garbage. They uncovered all sorts of trash including hundreds of bottles, tyres, and even a toilet.
Eddie Howard helps to run the volunteer group Ghost Diving, which started back in 2014. He said it's just the tip of the iceberg.
"We've now got 113 e-scooters that we've recovered since we started doing this, that's what we've recorded but there's definitely been more," he said.
The rubbish is having a real impact on our marine life. In fact, a new Victoria University study on sea sponges, which filter water and provide a habitat for marine life, found microplastics in every sample that was taken. The worst area for microplastic contamination is right here at Evans Bay.
"The bottles, the plastic bags, and rubbish start off as big pieces of plastic but over time they get weathered and break down and roll on the sea floor," Victoria University Professor James Bell said.
Up to 1000 particles of microplastics were found in some of the samples taken from Wellington's Harbour.
"The small plastic particles actually leak toxins over time into these organisms," Prof Bell said.
It's also having an impact on the food we eat.
"Microplastics have been found in the flesh of fish, and one study even estimated we humans consume a credit card's worth of plastic every year - that can't be good!" Te Papa fish expert Andrew Stewart said.
So what do we do to fix this?
"Just put your stuff in the bin, make sure you're looking after the ocean. If you know what's in there, you'll care," Howard said.
Sending a clear message to clean up our act New Zealand.
