Citizen science data indicate a reduction in beach litter in the Lofoten archipelago in the Norwegian Sea

Haarr, Marthe Larsen; Pantalos, Michael; Hartviksen, Monica Kleffelgård; Gressetvold, Marit

Citizen science data indicate a reduction in beach litter in the Lofoten archipelago in the Norwegian Sea

2020

Haarr, Marthe Larsen | Pantalos, Michael | Hartviksen, Monica Kleffelgård | Gressetvold, Marit

Marine litter is a major global challenge, even in the remote reaches of the Arctic. Monitoring temporal trends in litter loadings and composition is key to designing effective preventative and mitigative measures, and to assess their impact. Few data are available, however, by which to do this in the Arctic region. Citizen science data organised by the local waste management company in the Lofoten archipelago in the Norwegian Sea is an exception to this. We analysed volunteer cleanup data (total weight and counts of select litter types, standardised to density per 100 m) from over 200 locations from 2011 to 2018. Results indicate a general decline in beach litter in the region, and particularly in litter types related to private use, such as beverage bottles. These declines are most likely the combined result of extensive cleanup activities and a considerable reduction in local litter inputs.

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