Plastic pollution clogs river systems for considerably longer than previously thought, new research from the University of Leicester shows.
Plastic pollution clogs river systems for considerably longer than previously thought, new research from the University of Leicester shows.
Macroplastics – or plastic litter more than 5mm in size – travel much slower through river systems than previously believed, at an average speed of less than 0.01 km per hour, and can remain in place for significant periods of time.
If not removed, not only may this pollution eventually emerge in the ocean, but it is also likely to negatively impact marine wildlife and human uses of river systems. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common material for single-use plastic bottles, requires UV light to break down over more than 450 years.
A proof of concept study, believed to be one of the first studies of its kind, was led by Robert Newbould, a PhD researcher within the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment at Leicester, alongside Dr Mark Powell and Professor Mick Whelan.
Read more at University of Leicester
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