2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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5/20/2019  |   2:00 PM - 2:15 PM   |  POOLS AND FLUXES OF PLASTIC LITTER AT THE WATERSHED SCALE: AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH   |  251 AB

POOLS AND FLUXES OF PLASTIC LITTER AT THE WATERSHED SCALE: AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH

Research on plastic litter in global ecosystems is rapidly developing. Rivers are considered a primary source of plastic to oceans, but retention of litter within freshwater ecosystems is not well studied. Emerging research shows plastic litter in freshwaters is determined by the infrastructure, policies, and cultural norms which govern the management of solid waste, wastewater, and water extraction, as well as landscape features designed to retain or transport water. We composed a conceptual model which illustrates the sources and fluxes for plastic litter at the watershed scale that will end with either containment (i.e., landfill), non-containment (i.e., persist as environmental pollution), long term burial, mineralization, recycling back into consumer goods, or export to oceans. We also include fluxes to the atmosphere and freshwater extraction which have not previously been incorporated into conceptual models. We use our framework to illustrate which pathways are best studied and reveal understudied components of the plastic 'life cycle' in freshwaters. This model also offers a framework to prioritize efficient prevention and management strategies for plastic pollution across diverse waste governance scenarios.

  • Non-point Source
  • Management
  • Urban

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Presenters/Authors

Timothy Hoellein (), Loyola University Chicago, thoellein@luc.edu;


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Chelsea Rochman (), University of Toronto, chelsearochman@gmail.com;


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