Search Results (245)

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is intended to link producer design decisions to end-of-life costs, but collective EPR schemes typically weaken this link by routing funding through producer responsibility organisations. We develop a multi-level framework of consumer-integrated environmental protection (CIEP) and argue that individual producer responsibility (IPR), where producers bear product-specific end-of-life liability, can function as a governance mechanism that reconnects design, consumer behaviour and waste governance. This paper is a qualitative multiple-case research study—not a systematic review—which draws on three funded research projects: (i) small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) tools for design-for-recyclability, (ii) an artificial intelligence (AI) application for household waste sorting, and (iii) closed-loop recycling of fishing gear in Vietnam. Within the first project (ToCoReRaM), a PRISMA-based systematic review of web-accessible circular economy tools finds that only 2 of 23 tools are SME-accessible through standard web searches. The AI-based waste-sorting application achieves approximately 75% classification accuracy under real-world conditions. The fishing gear study demonstrates technical and economic viability of closed-loop recycling, and a survey of more than 1500 Vietnamese fishers finds 95.8% willingness to return used gear given appropriate incentives. Together, the cases show that effective circular governance requires four complementary elements: IPR-based producer accountability, SME-accessible design tools, digital consumer guidance at the point of disposal, and context-sensitive governance capacity. These findings inform policy pathways for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 and SDG 14. Full article

Expanded polystyrene litter in marine environments harbors diverse and distinct microbial communities, referred to as the plastisphere. This study aimed to investigate the monthly dynamics of bacterial and potentially pathogenic bacterial (PPB) communities on expanded polystyrene over one year. Vibrio species dominated the PPB community, cooccurring at consistently higher abundances on expanded polystyrene than in the surrounding seawater, particularly under higher temperatures and low dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels. At a temperature threshold of 16 °C, the abundance of zoonotic species, such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus, increased significantly. Some psychrotrophic Vibrio spp. were detected under moderately eutrophic conditions, suggesting that expanded polystyrene may also serve as a dispersal vector facilitating their transport to more favorable habitats. Multivariate analyses, including partial least squares path modeling, revealed temperature and DOC as the primary environmental factors influencing PPB community composition. However, environmental responses varied by taxonomic groups, with different preferences observed under varying eutrophic conditions. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that expanded polystyrene litter supports a selective and environmentally responsive bacterial population, highlighting the potential role of plastic debris in promoting pathogenic bacterial persistence and spread in marine ecosystems, particularly under conditions associated with climate change, including warming and eutrophication. Full article

Plastic waste is estimated to represent 40–80% of the total amount of marine litter, with polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) being the most abundant polymeric components. The recovery and recycling of marine plastic debris are therefore essential to mitigate environmental pollution and limit the generation of secondary microplastics. In this work, a mechanical recycling strategy was investigated for the valorization of a polyethylene-rich plastic fraction (PE-rf) recovered from the marine environment, characterized by high heterogeneity and persistent inorganic contamination. Different pre-treatment routes, including cryogenic grinding and planetary ball milling, as well as blending approaches with recycled polyethylene and compatibilizing additives, were explored. The effects of composition and processing on the thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the resulting materials were systematically analyzed. The results show that intense mechanical homogenization and chemical compatibilization are not sufficient to overcome the intrinsic limitations imposed by contamination and compositional variability. As a proof of concept, selected formulations were processed into filaments and tested in fused filament fabrication, demonstrating basic 3D printability. Full article

Over the past two decades, Citizen Science (CS) has experienced rapid growth, driven by technological advancements and the rise of digital platforms. This work examines the necessity for standardization in Citizen Science data management and discusses how existing data standards can enhance the impact of citizen-generated data. CS standardization ensures data quality, comparability, reusability, and interoperability, making data suitable for contributing to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper examined 130 Citizen Science publications and found that most collected data referred to the MSFD Descriptor 1 (Biodiversity—44.96%) and Descriptor 10 (Marine Litter—20.93%), followed by the alien species distribution (D2—11.63%), hydrography (D7—6.20%), eutrophication (D5—6.20%), and marine pollution (D8—3.10%). Analysis of 108 publications on SDG alignment revealed that the majority (35.58%) focused on reducing marine pollution. This paper reviews the best practices for effective Citizen Science data management, including standards for data structures, content, values, and exchange. Based on this review, Darwin Core, Ecological Metadata Language (EML), and the OGC SensorThings API appear to be the most suitable standards for MSFD-relevant CS data. Therefore, policymakers could enable the formal integration of standardized CS datasets into MSFD monitoring workflows. Full article

Anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) in shallow coastal benthic areas poses serious threats to ecosystems, human health, and the economy. Addressing this issue is hindered by limited data on AMD distribution and classification. We explored the use of semantic segmentation, specifically Pyramid Scene Parsing Network (PSPNet) and Deep Convolutional Neural Network for Semantic Image Segmentation, Version 3, (DeepLabV3) models, for automated AMD detection and classification. The performance was evaluated using mean intersection over union (mIoU), pixel accuracy, and frames per second (FPS). PSPNet achieved a higher mIoU (77.03%) than DeepLabV3 (75.98%), indicating better object identification. However, DeepLabV3 outperformed PSPNet in pixel accuracy (92.24% vs. 92.01%) and FPS (8.83 vs. 6.92), making it more appropriate for real-time applications. To enable real-time identification and classification of AMD, the models are deployed in a minicomputer with adequate processing power, significantly enhancing the models’ frame rate during real-time image processing. While both models are effective, DeepLabV3 is recommended for real-time AMD segmentation. The study contributes to improving AMD monitoring and management in coastal environments through AI-driven solutions. Full article

In recent decades, the issue of marine litter has emerged as a major environmental concern, particularly with regard to plastic litter. The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC) requires member states to monitor marine litter along the coast, in the water, and on the seabed. Since 2014, beach litter monitoring has been carried out in Italy’s coastal regions, an activity entrusted to the Regional Environmental Agencies System (ARPA). ARPA Puglia is responsible for monitoring the Apulian coastline, and this paper summarizes the main results obtained from 2014 to 2023. The monitoring, which was repeated twice a year, consists of a visual census of litter items along a 100-meter stretch of beach in six different locations across the Puglia region. During this period, an average of 506 litter items per 100 m were observed on the six target beaches in Puglia, 90% of which were plastic ones. Among these, single-use plastic items (SUPs) accounted for 37%. A trend analysis reveals a decline in the aggregate quantity of marine litter on Apulian beaches over the past decade, a phenomenon that is particularly evident when considering the SUP subcategory in isolation. This decreasing trend is consistent with the overall pattern observed along the Italian coastline and the coastlines of European seas. Consequently, it can be hypothesized that an increase in awareness of the issue, in conjunction with the implementation of European Directive 2019/904 for the reduction in single-use plastics, has resulted in more responsible practices. However, further efforts are needed to achieve the goal of 20 litter items per 100 m of beach to attain the Good Environmental Status under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The findings emphasize the importance of constant monitoring of litter items along the shoreline, as well as the integration of new and alternative methodologies (e.g., drone surveys) to evaluate the efficacy of European regulatory implementation. Full article

The PLASTRON (Reuse of plastic from the sea using additive manufacturing as a strategy for the challenges of tourism supply chains and business resilience (Italian acronym: riuso della PLAstica dal mare usando la manifattura additiva come Strategia per le sfide delle filiere del TuRismO e la resilieNza delle imprese)) project aims to enhance the sustainability of coastal communities by improving plastic waste management and fostering the transition to efficient circular economy models, aligned with the European Green Deal. A Franco-Italian multidisciplinary team is testing low-investment local initiatives for collecting plastics from coasts, ports, and the sea. The project develops protocols to integrate waste into the recycling chain and create value-added goods through additive manufacturing. Special focus is given to degraded marine litter and mixed plastics, exploring their reuse via blending with other materials and natural additives. The focus was on the characterisation of two material blends, polyolefin mix (MPO) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), both with plastic marine litter. The processability of the MPO blend was comparable to that of commercial recycled MPO. The differences observed between 3D printing and injection moulding for the MPO derived from marine litter were negligible, unlike those found in the commercial MPO. The PET, modified with 0.8% chain extender additive, exhibited performance equivalent to—or in some cases even superior to—that of virgin commercial PET. However, 3D printing processing induced a certain brittleness in the material. Full article

Accumulation of plastic litter in the marine environment is a pressing global concern. To study this issue, we use the Blue2 Modelling Framework (Blue2MF), an integrated modelling tool developed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. Our study uses the Lagrangian model LTRANS-Zlev (LTRANS) in the Blue2MF to simulate the trajectories, distribution, and accumulation of macroplastics in five European marine basins: the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Northwest European Shelf, and Atlantic Southwest European Shelf. By incorporating model-estimated macroplastic inputs from land and estimations of maritime (fishing) sources, we simulate distribution patterns of marine macroplastics between 2016 and 2018. Our study addresses the challenges involved in modelling the spatial distribution and abundances of macroplastics with the LTRANS model and the factors that may condition the estimation of the model accuracy when model results are compared/validated with marine litter observations available. We compare our model results with available observations, achieving a good agreement between predicted and observed macroplastic distributions and abundances and estimating the model accuracy for both beached and floating macroplastics. Our study provides a basis for future forecast runs to evaluate the impact of policy/management options on marine macroplastic pollution in European Seas. Full article

Plastic pollution, particularly in marine environments, has become a major global concern; therefore, monitoring and controlling these contaminants is essential to safeguard ecosystem integrity and human health. This study evaluates the ability of Posidonia oceanica spheroids to incorporate and retain plastic debris, with a particular focus on microplastics (MPs). A total of 1300 spheroids were collected along the Latium coast (Central Italy); among these, 454 (34.9%) contained plastic debris, with an average of 3.1 items per spheroid. Overall, 1415 plastic items were extracted and identified. Based on size classification, 48.7% were microplastics, 29.6% mesoplastics, and 21.9% macroplastics. Plastic items mainly consisted of filaments (40.9 ± 12.6%) and fibers (21.5 ± 5.2%). Eleven different colors were recorded, with white (28.8 ± 9.1%), transparent (13.4 ± 6.0%), and black (11.1 ± 6.8%) being the most frequent. A strong correlation was observed between the number of plastic items contained in the spheroids and proximity to wastewater treatment plants, which are known sources of synthetic fibers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) identified a total of 15 polymer materials, with nylon (18.2 ± 11.0%) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET; 17.3 ± 7.2%) being the most abundant. Structural alterations observed in FTIR spectra, together with carbonyl index values, indicate that most MPs are of secondary origin, resulting from prolonged environmental degradation. These results demonstrate that P. oceanica spheroids effectively promote plastic trapping and highlight their potential as a simple and cost-effective monitoring tool for marine plastic pollution. Full article

Monitoring marine litter in the Arctic is crucial for environmental assessment, yet automated methods are needed to process large volumes of visual data. This study develops and compares two distinct machine learning approaches to automatically detect floating marine litter, birds, and other anomalies from ship-based optical imagery captured in the Barents and Kara seas. We evaluated a supervised Visual Object Detection (VOD) model (YOLOv11) against a self-supervised classification approach that combines a Momentum Contrast (MoCo) framework with a ResNet50 backbone and a CatBoost classifier. Both methods were trained and tested on a dataset of approximately 10,000 manually annotated sea surface images. Our findings reveal a significant performance trade-off between the two techniques. The YOLOv11 model excelled in detecting clearly visible objects like birds with an F1-score of 73%, compared to 67% for the classification method. However, for the primary and more challenging task of identifying marine litter, which demonstrates less clear visual representation in optical imagery, the self-supervised approach was substantially more effective, achieving a 40% F1-score, versus the 10% obtained for the VOD model. This study demonstrates that, while standard object detectors are effective for distinct objects, self-supervised learning strategies can offer a more robust solution for detecting less-defined targets like marine litter in complex sea-surface imagery. Full article

The high incidence of anthropogenic impacts in the Mediterranean basin raises concerns on the health and quality of commercial fish species. This study aims to evaluate the health status of the European hake, Merluccius merluccius, from three areas of the Catalan coast (NW Mediterranean Sea) with different anthropogenic impacts (i.e., chemical pollution, litter, …) and assess if hake could serve as a sentinel species. We measured biomarkers of chemical exposure including B-esterases, antioxidant enzymes (GST, GR, GPx, CAT), biotransformation markers (EROD), lipid peroxidation, and macro-parasite assemblages. Hake showed, generally, a good health status across all areas with homogeneous patterns for most parameters. Tissue-specific differences included elevated gonadal cholinesterases and higher brain and hepatic carboxylesterase activities in the south, and increased hepatic EROD but lower lipid peroxidation in the central Barcelona area. Parasite assemblages were dominated by Digenea, Cestoda, and Nematoda, with higher cestode prevalence in both central and south zones. In summary, despite a greater prevalence of environmental pollution in the central region, there was a homogeneous pattern in hake health indicators throughout the three studied fishing zones. These results establish a baseline for hake health in Mediterranean waters and suggest that the species’ high mobility and wide depth range may limit its utility to detect local-scale pollution impacts, though it may serve as a regional-scale bioindicator. Full article

Coralligenous assemblages are among the most diverse habitats of the Mediterranean Sea, yet those of the north-eastern basin remain understudied despite their vulnerability to human impacts and climate change. We applied a multimodal underwater sensing approach to map coralligenous formations, assess gorgonian populations and evaluate the effects of marine litter in a conservation-priority area (NE Aegean Sea, Greece). Side-scan sonar enabled seafloor mapping and guided targeted Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) surveys. ROV-based distance sampling and imagery provided quantitative data on Eunicella cavolini and Paramuricea clavata, including density, size structure, and injuries, alongside systematic documentation of marine litter. Gorgonians formed monospecific ecological facies, segregated by location—P. clavata occurred deeper than E. cavolini. Densities were low (E. cavolini: 0.35 colonies m⁻², P. clavata: 1.46 colonies m⁻²) and small colonies (<10 cm) were rare, suggesting limited recruitment. However, the presence of large colonies indicates stable environmental conditions that support long-term persistence, as reproductive output increases with colony size. Colony injuries were minor, but marine litter was abundant, dominated by fishing lines and ropes entangled with gorgonians and sponges. These findings highlight the value of acoustic–optical integration for non-destructive monitoring and provide essential baselines for conservation under EU directives. Full article

The management of fouling through exposure of mussels to air has become risky due to rising temperatures, as it can negatively impact product quality and farm productivity. Since the early 2000s, during air exposure, mussel farmers of the Mar Piccolo have been using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cloths to cover mussels and prevent their overheating, thus contributing to marine litter from husbandry practices. In this context the aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the use of alternative types of air exposure facilities (wooden, without and with hemp cloth vs. galvanized iron, without and with HDPE cloth) can impact mussel condition index (CI). Since the most damaged mussels during exposure to air are those in contact with galvanized iron structures, for each facility, it was evaluated if there were differences between the mussels in contact with galvanized iron/wood racks and those near the sea surface. Overall, the results showed that the CI of mussels cleaned on wooden racks, ranging from 11.4 ± 2.7 to 12.5 ± 2.7, did not differ significantly from that of mussels before air exposure (CI = 13.1 ± 2.3), except for those near the sea surface without cover (CI = 9.6 ± 2.6). In contrast, a significant decrease in CI was observed in mussels cleaned on galvanized iron racks, with the lowest values observed in covered mussels (CI = 8.2 ± 2.3). Full article

Macroplastic pollution is a growing environmental concern, threatening the marine environment. Despite growing awareness of marine plastic pollution, few studies have assessed the effectiveness of in situ technologies such as safety nets for macroplastic interception. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of safety net (SN) systems in intercepting macroplastic debris in the different zones of recreational Yugang Park Beach (YPB), Zhanjiang Bay, China. Safety nets were installed at stations representing different hydrodynamic conditions, and macroplastic debris (2.5–80 cm) was collected and analyzed for size, color, and shape characteristics. Two survey comparisons revealed a higher debris density in the winter survey (1.8 ± 0.3 items m²) than in the summer survey (1.5 ± 0.3 items m²). Most debris fell within the 10–40 cm range, with transparent low-density polyethylene plastic bags being the dominant type, particularly in the winter survey (80.7%). Statistical analysis indicated that plastic size was likely related to net retention characteristics, while tidal influences accounted for a major portion of spatial variability in debris accumulation. These findings suggest that SN systems are effective tools for macroplastic interception and could inform evidence-based coastal management strategies to reduce plastic pollution in similar coastal environments. Full article

The accumulation of floating marine macro-litter (FMML) poses a major threat to coastal ecosystems, yet its transport dynamics in semi-enclosed seas remain poorly understood. This study establishes the first regional model to simulate the source-to-sink transport processes of FMML in the Bohai and Yellow Seas (BYS). By combining a high-resolution hydrodynamic model with Lagrangian particle tracking, we successfully reproduced observed spatiotemporal distribution patterns and accumulation hotspots. Our simulations reveal that the heterogeneity of FMML distribution is co-regulated by seasonal hydrodynamic variations and anthropogenic activities. We identified two major cross-regional transport pathways originating from Laizhou Bay and the northern Shandong Peninsula. Furthermore, backward particle tracking traced summer FMML hotspots to potential high-emission sources along the northern Jiangsu coast and the Yangtze River estuary. Despite limitations in emission inventories, this study provides a crucial mechanistic framework for FMML management in the BYS and a transferable methodology for other regional seas. Full article