Shocking photos of the Caribbean Sea littered with rubbish and debris have gone viral on social media.

The photos were taken off the coast of the island Roatan in Honduras, and show a landscape of floating trash where there should be blue seas.

Photographer Caroline Power, who was travelling with a diving team, captured the images –  the garbage reportedly stretches for five miles.

Pieces of plastic, bottles, takeaway containers, plastic cutlery, old footballs, toothbrushes, shoes and televisions were all spotted amongst the huge mass.

Caroline, who photographs marine life for a living, was appalled at what she witnessed and made an impassioned plea on her Facebook page for people to think about how much waste they are using on a weekly basis.

She wrote:

THIS HAS TO STOP.

Think about your daily lives. How did you take your food to go last time you ate out? How was your last street food served? Chances are it was styrofoam and served with a plastic fork and then put in a plastic bag.

Do you still use plastic garbage bags? Plastic soda bottles? Ziplock bags? Plastic wrap on your food?

Do you buy toilet paper that comes wrapped in plastic instead of paper? Do you put your fruit and veggies in produce bags at the grocery?

I challenge every person and every business to keep your trash for one week. Separate your organic and recyclables and keep everything else for one week. You will be disgusted how many single use items you use.

Speaking to The Telegraph Caroline said that she was saddened to see such a beautiful area of the planet being destroyed so meaninglessly.

Furthermore, much of the marine and wildlife in the area such as fish, whales, turtles and birds will mistake the plastic for food.

Caroline elaborated:

To see something that I care so deeply for being killed, slowly choked to death by human waste was devastating.

This is a developed nation (first world) problem as well.

To see an area that is supposed to be pristine covered in garbage and trash was disheartening.

The Mirror reports that the pollution is a long running issue that allegedly stems from the Motagua River in neighbouring Guatemala.

Juan Orland Hernandez, the President of Honduras, is said to have appointed a task force to deal with the problem.

Authorities in Guatemala have vowed to create a £1 million “waste trap” which will hopefully deal with the crisis at their end.

Source: indy100.com