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SeaCleaner Pellets Watch: citizen science approach to collect data and raise awareness on resin pellet problem in EU.
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Researchers developed the SeaCleaner Pellets Watch citizen science initiative in Italy to engage the public in monitoring and reporting resin pellet microplastics on EU coastlines, collecting systematic distribution data and raising awareness of these industrial plastic intermediates as a pervasive marine pollution problem.
Resin pellets are microplastics of first generation produced as industrial intermediates to be melted down to form plastic artefacts. Although it is indisputable that these objects are widespread in the marine environment, from the equator to the poles, it is also true that outside the scientific community their presence, the causes of their massive dispersal and the consequent environmental impact are little known. In the framework of SeaCleaner project), born in Italy with the intent of disseminating the issue of marine litter pollution and fostering public engagement trough citizen science approach, a user-friendly protocol for collecting and cataloguing pellets was created (https://sites.google.com/view/seacleaner/monitoraggi/resin-pellets), to help researchers quantify their presence along the coasts, and not only: collected samples are classified on the basis of parameters such as yellowing, degradation state and presence of pollutants and/or heavy metals, in order to use them as a proxy for pollution, following IPW prescriptions. Parallel to that of collecting and analysing samples, an equally important outreach activity is carried out, and in this the associations/schools/citizens participating play a fundamental role. These include LEGAMBIENTE (www.legambiente.it), thanks to the annual Goletta Verde campaign along Italian beaches, and, again for Italy, ANISN (National Association of Natural Science Teachers), which coordinates collection and cataloguing of pellets in Italian regions by secondary school students; SHIBUMI (www.shibumi.it), which in addition to helping us sample pellets along the Canary Islands coasts (with particular focus on Lanzarote Island) and those of the Morocco Atlantic coast, has been involved in numerous outreach actions, both in Canarian schools and through their website and social networks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF8Kz7LfCXo). Finally, we are initiating a collaboration for research and citizen science/outreach activities with the University of Coimbra, to replicate in Portugal (Portugal Pellets Watch) what has already been done in Italy and the other EU countries with which we collaborate. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559556/document
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SeaCleaner Pellets Watch: citizen science approach to collect data and raise awareness on resin pellet problem in EU.
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Researchers developed the SeaCleaner Pellets Watch citizen science program within the EU SeaCleaner project to systematically collect data on resin pellet distribution in the marine environment, engaging the public to map and monitor these first-generation industrial microplastics and raise awareness of their widespread oceanic presence from equator to poles.
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