Recently, an open access book has been published on "Marine Anthropogenic Litter", which summarises the current state of knowledge on all aspects of marine anthropogenic litter.
The book describes how man-made litter, primarily plastic, has spread into the remotest parts of the oceans, and covers all aspects of this pollution problem from the impacts on wildlife and human health to socio-economic and political issues.
Marine Litter Research
Marine litter is a prime threat to marine wildlife, habitats and food webs worldwide. The book summarises more than five decades of marine litter research, illustrating how advanced technologies and classic beach litter counts have contributed to the growing awareness of marine litter as a problem of global significance.
Authors from all over the world have contributed to the sixteen chapters of the book, to give an overall view on the diverse field of marine litter pollution, its biological impacts, dedicated research activities, and the various national and international legislative efforts made to combat this environmental problem. They recommend future research directions necessary for a comprehensive understanding of this environmental issue and the development of efficient management strategies.
Marine litter is present in all oceans, mostly in the form of plastics. In some areas, up to 600 floating items of litter can be found per km2 of the sea surface. Microplastics (particles of less than 5 mm) have spread throughout the oceans, from the surface to the deep sea. However, standardised estimations of distribution and quantities are not yet available at the global level.
The book is available for download from Springer.
