Macroplastics in rivers: present knowledge, issues and challenges

Al-Zawaidah, Hadeel; Ravazzolo, Diego; Friedrich, Heide

doi:10.1039/d0em00517g

Cited by 38 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 132 publications

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“…These negatively buoyant plastic types include items made of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene and polystyrene. During the transport process, initially buoyant macroplastic items, such as bottles, can fill with water or have biofilm grown on their surface, and thus lose their buoyancy and sink (Gabbott et al, 2020;Lechthaler et al, 2020;Al-Zawaidah et al, 2021). These items can be deposited in areas of the river with low flow velocities (Liro et al, 2020) and high natural sedimentation rates.…”

Section: Retained In Riverbed Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rivers as Plastic Reservoirs

et al. 2022

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Land-based plastic waste, carried to the sea through rivers, is considered a main source of marine plastic pollution. However, most plastics that leak into the environment never make it into the ocean. Only a small fraction of plastics that are found in the terrestrial and aquatic compartments of river systems are emitted, and the vast majority can be retained for years, decades, and potentially centuries. In this perspective paper we introduce the concept of river systems as plastic reservoirs. Under normal conditions, hydrometeorological variables (such as wind, runoff and river discharge) mobilize, transport and deposit plastics within different river compartments (e.g., riverbanks, floodplains, lakes, estuaries). The emptying of these plastic reservoirs primarily occurs under extreme hydrological conditions (e.g., storms, floods). In this paper we specifically focus on the retention mechanisms within different river compartments, and their effect on the fate of the plastics that are accumulated on various timescales. We aim to introduce the concept of rivers as (long-term) sinks for plastic pollution, and provide suggestions for future research directions.

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Section: Retained In Riverbed Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rivers as Plastic Reservoirs

et al. 2022

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“…Plastic pollution assessment at catchment levels must take into consideration both urban and rural localities as domestic sources [201]. Imported plastic waste from legal or illegal activities must be supervised by authorities since freshwater bodies on rural lands are exposed to dumping practices of non-recyclable or low-quality plastics.…”

Section: Macroplastic Pollution Of Freshwater Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plastic Pollution, Waste Management Issues, and Circular Economy Opportunities in Rural Communities

et al. 2021

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Rural areas are exposed to severe environmental pollution issues fed by industrial and agricultural activities combined with poor waste and sanitation management practices, struggling to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with Agenda 2030. Rural communities are examined through a “dual approach” as both contributors and receivers of plastic pollution leakage into the natural environment (through the air–water–soil–biota nexus). Despite the emerging trend of plastic pollution research, in this paper, we identify few studies investigating rural communities. Therefore, proxy analysis of peer-reviewed literature is required to outline the significant gaps related to plastic pollution and plastic waste management issues in rural regions. This work focuses on key stages such as (i) plastic pollution effects on rural communities, (ii) plastic pollution generated by rural communities, (iii) the development of a rural waste management sector in low- and middle-income countries in line with the SDGs, and (iv) circular economy opportunities to reduce plastic pollution in rural areas. We conclude that rural communities must be involved in both future plastic pollution and circular economy research to help decision makers reduce environmental and public health threats, and to catalyze circular initiatives in rural areas around the world, including less developed communities.

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“…Plastic has a wide range of physical properties, morphologies, and characteristics (GESAMP, 2015), such that particles less dense than fresh water will travel floating on or near the water surface, whereas denser particles will travel closer to the riverbed, or even bounce or roll along it (Morritt et al, 2014). A significant volume of plastic manufactured is denser than freshwater (Lebreton et al, 2019), resulting in large quantities of plastic travelling under the surface waters of rivers (Morritt et al, 2014;Al-Zawaidah et al 2021) and interacting with, or being passively stored in, the riverbed (Ockelford et al, 2020;Liro et al, 2020;van Emmerik et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plastic pollution in riverbeds fundamentally affects natural sand transport

Russell

Fernández

Parsons

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Rivers link terrestrial and ocean environments, distributing fresh water, nutrients, and sediment to diverse ecosystems. Over the past 50 years, rivers have become increasingly significant vectors for plastic pollution. Lowland riverbeds exhibit coherent features including ripple and dune bedforms, which transport sediment downstream via well-understood processes, yet the impact of plastic on sediment transport behaviours is largely unknown. Here we use a flume tank to show that when plastic particles are introduced to sandy riverbeds, even at relatively low concentrations, novel bedform morphologies and altered processes emerge, including irregular bedform stoss erosion and dune “washout”, causing topographic bedform amplitudes to decline. We detail i) new mechanisms of plastic incorporation and transport in riverbed dunes, and ii) how sedimentary processes are fundamentally influenced. Hence, plastic is not a passive component of river systems; it directly affects bed topography, whilst increasing the proportion of sand suspended in the water, which has the potential to impact river ecosystems and the wider landscape. The resulting plastic distribution in the sediment is heterogeneous, highlighting the challenge of representatively monitoring plastic concentrations. Our insights establish a new branch of process sedimentology: plastic and sand interactions, set to be increasingly relevant amongst emerging challenges of the Anthropocene.

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Macroplastics in rivers: present knowledge, issues and challenges

Abstract: Macroplastics are the primary contributor to riverine plastic pollution by mass, posing a wide range of serious threats for riverine systems, from adversely affecting various life forms within the riverine...

Cited by 38 publications

References 132 publications

Rivers as Plastic Reservoirs

Rivers as Plastic Reservoirs

Plastic Pollution, Waste Management Issues, and Circular Economy Opportunities in Rural Communities

Plastic pollution in riverbeds fundamentally affects natural sand transport

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