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Mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of Argentina
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Researchers mapped 40 open waste dumps across Tucumán, Argentina using satellite imagery and drones, finding most sites within 5 km of urban centers in an endorheic basin with total waste mass ranging from 0.06 to 38.45 kilotons per site. Hydrological analysis confirmed waste material—including plastics—migrates from dumps into surrounding watercourses and cropland, highlighting urgent risks to environmental and public health.
The proliferation of plastic waste since the 20th century has exacerbated pollution problems despite technological advances in waste management. In Argentina, 35% of municipal solid waste is discarded in untreated open dumps, causing environmental and public health risks. This study focused on detecting and mapping open dumps in the most densely populated province, Tucumán, using satellite imagery and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Specifically, for each dump we (1) described spatio-temporal dynamics, (2) analyzed topography and hydrology characteristics, and (3) quantified waste mass. We identified and mapped forty open dumps (range size: 0.05 to 3.79 hectare). Most dumps were located within an endorheic basin, at 5 km or less from urban centers. Many have increased in size over the last decade, especially larger dumps (> than 1 hectare). The hydrological analysis showed material movement from dumps to surrounding environments, mainly watercourses and crops. Total waste mass averaged 5.72 kilotons (kt) per dump (range: 0.06 to 38.45 kilotons, where 1 kt = 1000 tons). This exhaustive survey of open dumps highlights the urgent need for sustainable waste management practices to mitigate environmental and public health risks in Tucumán and other regions facing similar challenges.
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A longitudinal drone and transect survey of informal waste piles in urban Malawi found that plastics — predominantly Low-Density Polyethylene — were the largest non-organic waste component by volume, concentrated along rivers and streams. This documents a direct plastic-to-waterway pathway in Sub-Saharan Africa where waste management data have historically been scarce, highlighting a major underreported source of riverine microplastic pollution.
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Researchers used drone cameras and artificial intelligence to spot illegal waste dumps, including plastic litter, across rural and semi-rural areas in Romania. The system identified over 3,000 waste items with 91% accuracy, finding that trash often piles up near roads and intersections, suggesting people dump it from vehicles.
Garbage Dump Use, Mortality, and Microplastic Exposure of Raptors in Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego Province, Southern Argentina
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Researchers studied seven raptor species that use a garbage dump in Ushuaia, Argentina, finding that some individuals had ingested microplastics and faced risks from exposure to garbage-associated contaminants. The study documents garbage dumps as a pathway for microplastic exposure in wildlife at the southern tip of South America.
Open dumping and burning: A source of terrestrial microplastics in underserved communities
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Researchers extracted and characterized microplastics from soil surrounding sites where solid waste is openly dumped and burned — a waste management practice common in rural and Indigenous communities globally. The study found significant microplastic contamination even at depth, showing that open dumping is a major but overlooked source of terrestrial microplastic pollution.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.