In-Stream Marine Litter Collection Device Location Determination Using Bayesian Network

Abstract

Increased generation of waste, production of plastics, and poor environmental stewardship has led to an increase in floating litter. Significant efforts have been dedicated to mitigating this globally relevant issue. Depending on the location of floating litter, removal methods would vary, but usually include manual cleanups by volunteers or workers, use of heavy machinery to rake or sweep litter off beaches or roads, or passive litter collection traps. In the open ocean or streams, a common passive technique is to use booms and a collection receptacle to trap floating litter. These passive traps are usually installed to intercept floating litter; however, identifying the appropriate locations for installing these collection devices is still not fully investigated. We utilized four common criteria and fifteen sub-criteria to determine the most appropriate setup location for an in-stream collection device (Litter Gitter—Osprey Initiative, LLC, Mobile, AL, USA). Bayesian Network technology was applied to analyze these criteria comprehensively. A case study composed of multiple sites across the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Coast was used to validate the proposed approach, and propagation and sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate performance. The results show that the fifteen summarized criteria combined with the Bayesian Network approach could aid location selection and have practical potential for in-stream litter collection devices in coastal areas.

New Technologies to Assess and Map an Urban Riparian Area in Drama, Greece, and Determine Opportunity Sites for Litter Traps

“…Afterwards, the sonar device tested the cross-sections, assessing their dimensions and the presence of vegetation in the crosssection to see if they were appropriate for the placement of the specific litter trap. Overall, in this study, we wanted to develop a more practical and applicable approach compared to past studies [61,62]. The reasoning was to be more readily adopted by land and water managers for the installation of litter traps.…”

“…The reasoning was to be more readily adopted by land and water managers for the installation of litter traps. Overall, in this study, we wanted to develop a more practical and applicable approach compared to past studies [61,62]. The reasoning was to be more readily adopted by land and water managers for the installation of litter traps.…”