Plastic debris in rivers

Tim Van Emmerik,Anna Schwarz

doi:10.1002/wat2.1398

Abstract

AbstractPlastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems is an emerging environmental risk, as it may negatively impacts ecology, endangers aquatic species, and causes economic damage. Rivers are known to play a crucial role in transporting land‐based plastic waste to the world's oceans, but riverine ecosystems are also directly affected by plastic pollution. To better quantify global plastic pollution transport and to effectively reduce sources and risks, a thorough understanding of origin, transport, fate, and effects of riverine plastic debris is crucial. In this overview paper, we discuss the current scientific state on plastic debris in rivers and evaluate existing knowledge gaps. We present a brief background of plastics, polymer types typically found in rivers, and the risk posed to aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, we elaborate on the origin and fate of riverine plastics, including processes and factors influencing plastic debris transport and its spatiotemporal variation. We present an overview of monitoring and modeling efforts to characterize riverine plastic transport, and give examples of typical values from around the world. Finally, we present an outlook to riverine plastic research. With this paper, we aim to present an inclusive and comprehensive overview of riverine plastic debris research to date and suggest multiple ways forward for future research.This article is categorized under: Science of Water > Water Quality Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems

Highlights

The discovery of plastics provided society with a material with almost limitless possibilities
As more plastic waste started to accumulate in the natural environment, it became clear that plastic pollution can become an environmental hazard
We focus on macroplastic debris in river systems, which are here defined as particles and items larger than 5 mm

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

The discovery of plastics provided society with a material with almost limitless possibilities. The major modeling studies, such as Jambeck et al (2015), that tried to quantify plastic transport in rivers and into oceans used the world bank database on mismanaged waste (Hoornweg & Bhada-Tata, 2012). In this database, the fate of waste in a country is quantified in percentages, together with total mass of waste if available. The total annual waste input into the Adriatic Sea was proportionally distributed over the rivers and urban populations, based on their discharge and population, respectively Following this approach, the Po and Buna/Bojana rivers were identified as main regional sources of plastic emission. Where in Lebreton et al (2017), the top 20 polluting rivers emit 67% of the global total (Lebreton et al, 2017), in Schmidt et al (2017) the top 10 to emits 88–95%

| Monitoring methods

Findings

Result