Even in the ocean depths, there's no escape from Spam

A photo of Spam on the ocean floor circulated in the wake of a report on deep-ocean pollution.

February 14, 2017 at 10:03PM
A container of Spam, seen resting at 4,947 meters on the slopes of a canyon leading to the Sirena Deep in the Mariana Trench.
A container of Spam, seen resting at 16,230 feet (4,947 meters) on the slopes of a canyon leading to the Sirena Deep in the Mariana trench in the Pacific Ocean. The can was found during a 2016 exploration survey of the trench. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Spam is already found around the world. Now, unfortunately, it's turned up even in the depths of the ocean.

A survey of the Mariana trench in the Pacific Ocean found a can of Hormel's luncheon meat resting on the ocean floor more than 16,000 feet below the surface.

The Spam was found during a scientific survey last year by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but it got new life in the news this week thanks to a new report about pollutants in the ocean.

The report, in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, detailed evidence of chemical pollutants in some of the ocean's deepest trenches, previously thought to be untouched by humans. Most troubling was the presence of PCBs, chemicals that were banned in the 1970s but can persist in organic material for years without breaking down.

The Mariana trench, the world's deepest, reaches more than 36,000 feet at its deepest point.

The NOAA survey also found plastic bags and a can of Budweiser. The photo of the Spam, though, does not reveal a "best by" date.

The Washington Post contributed to this report.

about the writer

about the writer

Casey Common

Homepage editor, digital news desk

Casey Common is an editor for the Minnesota Star Tribune's website, working with almost any kind of news. He edits the homepage, coordinates email newsletters and writes for the Twitter and Facebook feeds.

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