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Cleaning our seas and oceans of plastic litter
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This brief describes the LIFE SouPLess project, a European initiative developing technologies to collect and recycle plastic litter from rivers before it reaches the ocean. It focuses on river-based interventions as one of the most impactful points to intercept plastic pollution pathways.
Cleaning our seas and oceans of plastic litter Increased global production and poor waste management have led to a build-up of plastic litter in the world’s oceans. This has a devastating effects on ecosystems and marine life. The flow of plastics into the oceans occurs through a variety of pathways, but rivers are one of the largest contributors. The LIFE SouPLess project aims to develop technology to catch plastics from rivers before they spread to the seas and oceans. It is a 4.5 years project (July 2018 – December 2022). Three main links of the chain of riverine plastic recovery will be tackled: from locating plastic hotspots with a dedicated numerical model to effectively collecting the plastics with systems and finding cost-effective solutions for post-processing the collected litter.
More Papers Like This
Catch plastic litter before it reaches the ocean
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This article describes the LIFE SouPLess project, which is developing technology to intercept plastic litter in rivers before it reaches the ocean. Rivers are one of the primary pathways through which land-based plastic waste enters the sea. River-based plastic interception technologies are a promising strategy for reducing the ongoing accumulation of marine microplastics.
Removing Plastic Waste from Rivers: A Prototype-Scale Experimental Study on a Novel River-Cleaning Concept
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Researchers tested a prototype-scale river-cleaning system designed to capture plastic waste across the full width and depth of a river. The study demonstrated that the novel approach can effectively intercept floating and submerged plastic debris, addressing the critical role that rivers play as transport pathways carrying mismanaged plastic waste from land to oceans.
River Plastic Retention and Export across Europe
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Researchers built a model estimating how much plastic is trapped in European rivers versus carried out to sea. Most plastic entering the environment stays on land, with rivers holding onto a small share and exporting under 1% of microplastics and macroplastics to the ocean, helping identify Europe's most polluting rivers.
Plastic debris in rivers
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This review synthesizes current knowledge on plastic debris in rivers, covering sources, transport mechanisms, ecological impacts, and the role of rivers in delivering plastic to the oceans. The authors highlight key knowledge gaps and emphasize that riverine ecosystems are directly harmed by plastic pollution, not merely transit corridors.
Stopping Macroplastic and Microplastic Pollution at Source by Installing Novel Technologies in River Estuaries and Waste Water Treatment Plants: The CLAIM Project
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This paper describes the CLAIM project's development of two innovative pollution control devices — one that blocked 90% of macro litter at a river estuary before it reached the sea, and a filter system for microplastics at wastewater treatment plants. Over 38 days, the estuary device collected 1,175 kg of litter from a major source of debris entering the Saronikos Gulf in Greece.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.