WP 3: Sources and distribution

This work package aims to qualify and quantify the magnitude and spatial distribution of plastic pollution in Danish waters and to identify its most significant sources.

Leader: AU

WP5

SYNERGIES WITH OTHER WPS

Methods developed in WP2 will be applied strategically under this WP, to obtain a first estimate of the relative relevance of sources

3.1

Currently the distribution of macro- (≥ 25mm)-, meso- (5-10 mm) and microplastic (< 5mm), polymer types and fragmentation/degradation patterns are poorly understood, and for nanosized particles (<0.2 μm) there is almost no information due to the current lack of detection methods. More detailed studies on sources and spatial distributions of amounts and composition of plastic debris in different size categories within and between sampling areas are therefore necessary.

What is the magnitude of plastic pollution in Danish coastal and open waters and how much does the pollution vary between different areas?

Perform field studies in representative coastal waters

3.2

Perform a field study in open parts of the Danish waters

Provide the first evidences for occurrence of nanoplastic in Danish waters

Which are the most significant sources of plastic pollution in Danish coastal waters?

Assessments of the most significant sources of plastic pollution

SCOPE OF WORK PACKAGE 3

The scope of WP 3 is to study and compare amounts and composition of plastic debris occurring in different marine compartments (i.e. water column, sediments, onshore) covering representative areas of both coastal and open parts of the Danish waters and to explore possibilities of linking the occurrence to specific sources.