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Spatio-temporal dynamics of floating marine macro-litter in Italian waters (2018–2023): The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
Original title: Spatio-temporal dynamics of floating marine macro-litter in Italian waters (2018–2023): The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
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Scientists tracked floating plastic trash in Italian waters for six years and found that while COVID lockdowns temporarily reduced single-use plastic pollution near coastlines, it bounced right back once restrictions lifted — and disposable masks and gloves briefly spiked during the pandemic. Trash out in the open ocean stayed steady no matter what, acting like a long-term storage pool of plastic waste that doesn't easily go away. This matters because that lingering ocean plastic breaks down into microplastics that can enter the food chain and eventually end up on our plates.
Floating Marine Macro Litter (FMML) remains a pervasive threat in the Mediterranean Sea. This study assesses FMML across offshore and coastal Italian waters over a six-year period (2018-2023) to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 2111 standardized visual surveys were conducted from ferries and small vessels, with items recorded by trained observers under controlled sea-state conditions and classified according to MSFD protocols. Plastics dominated all surveys (81-87%), primarily comprising Single-Use Plastics (SUP) and Fishing Gear. Results show a distinct 'V-shaped' trend in the abundance of coastal SUP, which declined significantly during lockdowns before rebounding after the pandemic, whereas offshore levels remained stable, acting as a legacy reservoir. A unique pandemic pulse was observed for sanitary litter, which peaked during 2020-2021. Our results demonstrate that while socio-economic disruptions caused immediate shifts in Mediterranean coastal pollution, offshore environments exhibit greater resilience to short-term changes. These findings highlight the persistence of marine plastic pollution and underscore the need for integrated monitoring strategies combining FMML surveys with robust statistical approaches and remote sensing to support MSFD and IMAP targets for Good Environmental Status (GES).
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