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Plastic debris dataset on the Seine river banks: Plastic pellets, unidentified plastic fragments and plastic sticks are the Top 3 items in a historical accumulation of plastics
Summary
Plastic debris on the Seine riverbank in France was surveyed historically, finding plastic pellets (nurdles), unidentified fragments, and plastic sticks to be the top three items. The dataset reveals that riverbanks can accumulate plastics over many years, serving as reservoirs for eventual release into the ocean.
Plastic pollution in oceans and rivers is of high concern because of its persistence in the environment and its potential impact on ecosystems. However, there is a specific lack of data in rivers. Here we present data from the Seine river banks in a historical polluted shore. Data were classified using international MSFD and OSPAR classifications. The sampled site is a quadrat of 1 m2 located downstream in the estuary in a visual maximum along a 1 km shore covered by plastics. A total of 20,259 plastic debris were individually counted, classified and weighted by category for a total mass higher than 4 kg. Half of the plastic debris in number are represented by preproduction pellets.