Recent studies have documented the presence of microplastics (MPs) in remote areas, including soils or sediments collected in mountain and glacier environments, but information on their presence in snow is scant. The present study aimed at exploring the presence of MPs in residual snow collected in four locations of the Aosta Valley (Western Italian Alps), with different accessibility and human presence. Overall, the µ-FTIR analyses confirmed the presence of 18 MPs in snow, 7 (39%) items were fibres, while 11 (61%) were fragments. Polyethylene (PE; 7 MPs) was the main polymer, followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET; 3 MPs), high density PE (HDPE; 3 MPs), polyester (2 MPs), while only 1 MP made by low density PE, polypropylene and polyurethane were found. The mean (± SE) concentration of MPs in snow ranged between 0.39 ± 0.39 MPs/L and 4.91 ± 2.48 MPs/L, with a mean of 2.32 ± 0.96 MPs/L for the sampling locations. The concentration of MPs did not statistically differ among locations. Our results suggest that MPs presence in high-mountain ecosystems might depend on deposition through atmospheric precipitations or local sources due to human activities. For these reasons, policies aiming at reducing plastic use and dispersal in mountain areas may be effective in preventing local MP contamination.
This study discusses the case of a 200 m2 container garden set up in a polluted and neglected area of the School of Management and Economics of the University of Turin. ‘L’Orto della SME’ is self-managed, and it has become a hub for a variety of stakeholders, within and outside the university. The project is part of the framework Proposal for Citizen Engagement, promoted by EIT Food Cross-KIC, which contributes to the New European Bauhaus (NEB). The paper looks at how such projects contribute to create social cohesion around sustainability issues of circularity and waste management. The case presents several autoethnographic elements, like tales and stakeholders’ voices, stemming from the direct involvement of the authors in developing the project. The article presents how a stakeholder network was created and how internal and external stakeholders were involved in co-creation activities, such as (multi-stakeholder) workshops and focus groups. Our findings show that NEB principles can be effectively applied to initiatives like the container garden to tackle issues of social inclusion, equality and sustainable production and consumption. This is further emphasized by the empowerment and agency gained by diverse stakeholders to approach sustainability matters.
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