Plastic pollution has spread to every corner of our planet, with remote beaches ending up with some of the highest densities of plastics in the world. The slightly good news, however, is that scientists have developed a method of tracking and cataloging plastic pollution on remote beaches, which could aid in clean-up efforts, Phys.org reported.
Researchers from RMIT University in Australia set to work trying to figure out how satellite technology that tracks plastic pollution in the oceans could be similarly applied to plastic pollution on land, where it stands out less in contrast with sand.
The tool the scientists eventually developed, named the Beached Plastic Debris Index, uses shortwave infrared spectral features to detect beach plastic. The work was published in the scientific journal Marine Pollution Bulletin.
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"Remote island beaches have some of the highest recorded densities of plastics in the world, and we're also seeing increasing volumes of plastics and derelict fishing gear on the remote shorelines of northern Australia," said Dr. Jenna Guffogg, the study's lead author, who added, "Plastics can be mistaken for food, larger animals become entangled and smaller ones, like hermit crabs, become trapped inside items such as plastic containers."
Now that the plastic pollution on remote beaches can be more effectively tracked, the scientists hope the data can be used in real-life clean-up operations.
"We're looking to partner with organizations on the next step of this research; this is a chance to help us protect delicate beaches from plastic waste," said Dr. Mariela Soto-Berelov, a co-author of the study. "Detection is a key step needed for understanding where plastic debris is accumulating and planning clean-up operations, which aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals, such as Protecting Seas and Oceans."
Although cleaning up plastic pollution is an extremely necessary step, in order to truly address this ongoing crisis, we ultimately must reduce the (truly astounding) amount of new plastic being produced every day.
Some states and cities have taken it upon themselves to help with this problem, banning single-use plastic products in several applications. We can also do a small part by taking steps like getting a reusable water bottle or switching away from coffee pods, to name a couple.
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