London, Nov. 11 Golf balls are proving to be a huge environmental hazard, as they take between 100 and 1,000 years to decompose naturally, according to scientists.

An estimated 300 million balls are lost each year in America alone, and when scientists searched the bottom of Loch Ness monster, they were startled to discover hundreds of thousands of the plastic balls, The Telegraph reports.

Recently, the Danish Golf Association has conducted research into the environmental impact of the litter.

The scientists found that golf balls release a high quantity of heavy metals during decomposition, including dangerous levels of zinc found in solid core golf balls, the paper said.

When submerged in water, the zinc attached itself to the ground sediment and poisoned the surrounding flora and fauna, scientists discovered.

Torben Kastrup Petersen, course manager for the Danish Golf Union, said: "There has been very little research on the environmental impact of golf balls, but it's safe to say the indicators are not good.

"We are planning to collaborate with environmentalists in America to conduct more tests to fully explore the extent of the problem,"

Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, added: "From the moon to the bottom of Loch Ness, golf balls are humanity's signature litter in the most inaccessible locations. Keep your balls on the fairway or invest in a stock of biodegradable balls." (ANI)