AI Article Synopsis
- The study emphasizes the importance of measuring the weight of marine litter, not just counting items, as it affects clean-up planning.
- Analyzed 80 publications revealed that marine litter averages 19.5 grams per item, with plastics making up 80% by number and 51% by weight.
- The findings can enhance future litter monitoring and support environmental protection efforts through improved data on litter dynamics.
Article Abstract
The weight of marine litter has been marginally considered in comparison to counting and categorizing items. However, weight determines litter dynamics on water and coasts, and it is an essential parameter for planning and optimizing clean-up activities. This work reviewed 80 publications that reported both the number and weight of beached macro-litter worldwide. On average, a litter item weighed 19.5 ± 20.3 g, with a median weight of 13.4 g. Plastics composed 80% by number and 51% by weight of the global litter bulk. A plastic item weighed 12.9 ± 13.8 g on average, with a median weight of 9 g. The analysis based on continents and on water bodies returned similar values, which can be used to estimate litter weight on beaches from past and future visual census surveys, and from remote sensing imagery. Overall, this work can improve litter monitoring reports and support dynamics modelling, thereby contributing for environmental protection and mitigation efforts.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124863 | DOI Listing |
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