Mountains of plastic waste from the fishing industry have covered the coast along the Valdes Peninsula in Argentina’s Patagonia, threatening the lives of sea lions, fish, penguins and whales and also endangering human health.

The coasts of the peninsula on Argentina’s Atlantic coast, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its natural beauty, have been dotted with crates, nets, buoys and other fishing tools thrown into the sea and washed ashore.

“These plastics are made up of chemicals and pollutants that can cause a number of diseases in both humans and marine fauna,” said Diego Gonzalez, a biologist studying industrial fishing waste.

Reuters journalists captured scenes of animal carcasses decomposing among piles of plastic litter on the beach of Pico Sayago, while other critters continued to navigate around the trash.