Macroplastics Pollution in the Southern North Sea - Sources, Pathways and Abatement Strategies

Project description

The steadily increasing pollution of the oceans with persistent plastic waste is a global problem with profound effects on marine ecosystems. Lower Saxony's coasts and island beaches are particularly affected by these developments.
An interdisciplinary consortium at the University of Oldenburg, consisting of physical oceanographers, geoecologists and environmental planners, will comprehensively address this problem with the aim of developing a solid scientific basis for the sources, distribution pathways and accumulation areas.
The project will investigate dispersal pathways and pollution areas of drifting macroplastics ("visible plastic particles") in the German Bight and the Wadden Sea using high-resolution numerical modelling, which will enable, among other things, the tracing of particles to clearly identify the main regional sources (main shipping routes, rivers, tourism, etc.). It will also use coastal observation systems to record hydrodynamic parameters and will develop a concept for monitoring and analysing waste data along the North Sea coast with a focus on river inputs.
Active participation of citizens in waste data collection will be created by means of mobile phones and web-based input options and accompanied by information events and workshops on site. The project will provide sound scientific data on plastic pollution along Lower Saxony's coasts and in the German Bight and identify possible ways of planning prevention strategies.

Project leader

Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM)

Contact person

Project leader:

• , ICBM, Physical Oceanography Group (Theory)

Sub-project leader:

• SP1: Prof. Dr Jörg-Olaf Wolff, ICBM, Physical Oceanography Group (Theory)
• SP2: PD Dr Holger Freund, ICBM, Geoecology working group
• SP3: Prof Dr Emil Stanev, ICBM, Coastal Oceanography Group
• SP4: Prof Dr Ingo Mose, IBU, Applied Geography & Environmental Planning WG
• SP5: Prof Dr Oliver Zielinski, ICBM, Marine Sensor Systems Group

Co-operation partners

• NLWKN Brake/Oldenburg branch office
• Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park Authority
• Mellum Council
• Jordsand Association
• Wadden Sea Protection Centre
• IMEDEA, Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain
• University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, New Bedford, USA
• Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK

Duration

4 years (2016 - 2020)

Financing

Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony