Authorities are aware of this issue but claim they lack the necessary equipment to apprehend those who contaminate the natural reserve.

Approximately 90% of the waste is plastic, which takes hundreds of years to decompose. The plastic is ingested by the fish we consume. "Inspector Pro" filmed the area and shows what measures authorities should take if we want to prevent our sea from becoming a dead pond.

The Black Sea is at risk of becoming a garbage dump, due to the illegal disposal of waste from ships. According to a report by the European Environmental Agency, our sea has become the most polluted in Europe. The Danube Delta is also in danger because it collects both the waste carried by the river from ten countries and the garbage from ships. All of this is destroying the ecosystem!

The entire area is protected by law and should be closely monitored by the Administration of the Biosphere Reserve of the Danube Delta (ARBDD). However, the ARBDD has only one dedicated employee for this, who cannot cope with the phenomenon.

-These are all foreign packaging! Made in Sweden... That one is in Arabic, yes... This one is Greek...

-Made in France. On this one it's written in Spanish.

What else have you found?

-Containers, containers...

What's that smell?

-It smells like diesel...

Teodosie Marinov, the Governor of the Danube Delta, accompanied us to Romania's wildest beach and said that throwing garbage from ships has become a trend.

What doesn't float, sinks, and the depths of the sea are now contaminated as well.

According to unofficial information obtained by the Inspector Pro team, some ships are loaded with waste, which is then illegally dumped into the sea. Most of the time, this occurs at night and is practically impossible to apprehend and penalize those responsible.

This wild location is situated between the Perișor and Ciotica Canals and is approximately 16 miles long. From here, you can spot Sacalin Island in the distance, an extension of Romania's territory and one of the most recently formed landmasses in Europe, created through alluvial deposits. A true natural miracle. The entire area is under strict protection. So access for tourists is strictly forbidden.

Ramona Țintea, PRO TV correspondent: "This plastic bag here is clear evidence that it was thrown from a ship and the sea brought it here. It's full of PET bottles... It's the second plastic bag we've found. They are from Turkey. It says so on the label!"

Teodosie Marinov, the Governor of the Danube Delta: "In the last year and a half, this phenomenon has grown significantly..."

Proof that garbage is intentionally thrown from ships can also be seen in the pictures posted by the "Omul cu Branhii" (Man with Gills) - as he has self-titled himself on social media. He filmed how large pieces of cellophane and plastic are floating on our sea.

"It's cellophane... But it's way too big. If we caught at least a quarter of the fish we've removed plastic for now, we would be very happy."

(...)

"The problem is not just about collecting the garbage from the water's surface; the problem is where we dispose of the garbage because I have encountered this problem many times. In the Tomis port area, we don't have dumpsters. We only have small dumpsters, and the people from the terraces scold us if we throw our garbage there. So, I've been forced to take the garbage home..."

The law states that garbage on ships must be selectively collected and delivered to the port. Forms are issued, and the quantities collected must match those delivered on land. According to the Port of Tulcea Captaincy, the operation would cost around 2 - 300 Euros, insignificant compared to the other costs a ship incurs. Only organic kitchen waste can be thrown into the water. They decompose easily and become food for fish.

The Inspector Pro team brought the recorded images to the Minister of the Environment, Mircea Fechet.

Mircea Fechet, Minister of the Environment: "To the best of my knowledge, I have never been informed that we have any waste management problems in the Sulina port, or anywhere in the Danube Delta. In other words, there is a collection infrastructure; there just needs to be the goodwill of those obliged to follow the law".

Plastic ends up in the human body

Romanian authorities are faced with an urgent problem. Garbage from protected beaches reaches the heart of the Delta and, consequently, enters a food chain: the nesting area of birds, but also the bodies of fish that we subsequently consume. Let's not forget that plastic decomposes in 400 years and fine particles are ingested by fish.

Those responsible for cleaning the area are from the ARBDD.

Reporter: How often do you come to this area?

Teodosie Marinov, the Governor of the Danube Delta: "Personally, I come once a year! But we have only one person, to be honest, who works throughout this area..."

The operation is even more challenging because this beach can only be reached by water, after two hours of navigating the Danube's canals. And they are clogged...

Ramona Țintea, PRO TV correspondent: "As you can see, it's full of reeds, and the water level is very low. That's why we're moving very slowly. Normally, this canal should be dredged."

Teodosie Marinov, the Governor of the Danube Delta: "After more than 30 years of operation, the institution is not equipped with the necessary machinery, and as such, it is not properly staffed with employees either".

In the protected area, boards, chairs and construction materials are now floating. Most likely, these were brought by water from Ukraine due to the rupture of the Dnieper dam. According to a report from this year by the European Environment Agency, the Black Sea is currently twice as polluted as the Mediterranean Sea. The biggest problem is plastic waste, which accounts for over 90% of the total garbage dumped in our territorial waters.