dramatic new evidence of plastic pollution in the arctic. animals are frequently trapped in rubbish — scientists say a pristine wilderness is being contaminated. i've collected this waste in just a few seconds. some of the fragments may come from norway, some clearly don't, like this elaborate bottle, for instance, or this butter tub from spain. we have a special report from the norwegian arctic. also this lunchtime... stranded in hospital corridors — new figures from nhs england say 1,000 people had to wait more than 12 hours for treatment last month. interest rates on hold, but a warning they could rise soon as the bank of england upgrades its forecast for growth. uk net trade is benefiting from this robust global demand and the past depreciation of sterling. whereas it usually drags on growth, net trade is currently contributing substantially. local authorities in england struggle to pay for essential services; higher council tax bills are on the way.

and flying the flag for britain — lizzy yarnold will lead out team gb at the opening ceremony of the winter olympics. and in sport on bbc news, former captain greg laidlaw starts for scotland in their six nations match with france this weekend, as one of six changes following their heavy defeat to wales. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. there is shocking new evidence today of plastic rubbish contaminating the pristine wilderness of the arctic. animals are becoming ensnared in plastic waste, while scientists say there are far more plastic particles in one litre of sea ice than in open water. they say they've found plastic

pollution almost everywhere they've looked in the arctic ocean. 0ur environment analyst roger harrabin has been to tromso in the norwegian arctic. a warning that you may find some of the images in his report disturbing. plastic pollution is drifting to the furthest corners of the planet. the arctic sea ice is created when sea freezes. it looks pristine but scientists are finding that it definitely is not. in fact ice cores show sea ice contains more fragments of plastic per square metre than anywhere else in the ocean, it is because sea ice freezes from the top and that is exactly where the plastic bits are floating. 0ne litre of melted sea ice contain 234 plastic fragments like these. the

numbers are way higher than i think most people expected, and definitely then what i expected. it shows that it isa then what i expected. it shows that it is a serious problem and you have a situation in the world now that there is nowhere that is so far away that it is not affected by plastic waste. there is plastic on the beaches too, this local conservationist is trying forlornly to clear them up. here is what the plastic does macro. this reindeer‘s and others were trapped by a discarded fishing net, it died. this arctic turn met its death by starvation. and see the plastic strapping around the belly of this bearded seal. i have collected this waste in just a few seconds. some of the fragments may come from norway, some clearly don't like this elaborate bottle or this butter tub

from spain. and the plastic is here with a vengeance. several years ago it was predicted plastic pollution would enter the arctic and indeed we are finding plastic along the coastlines from urban areas to remote areas and the more we look for the plastics, the more we are finding. arctic scientists don't know yet whether the plastic tide will affect local fish stocks but it is another human threats to a fragile environment, already being transformed by man—made climate change. and roger is here now. roger some horrific images in that report, how serious is this for the arctic? scientists are trying to find out, they have been blindsided. there is very little research but wherever they are looking, they are finding plastic. they don't know crucially what effect it will have on stocks of cod, they don't know if the

plastics will be absorbed in the flesh of the fish which would be disastrous for the industry, but they can clearly see the effect on wildlife. you saw the pictures of the birds, the seal and reindeer. 0ne bird they tested had more than 200 pieces of plastic in its stomach. so much pollution and contamination, what can be done about it? norway is trying to do its about it? newest; gfiéfiegegeigsl about it? msnttsstés tnténsssrssrissl we had