Los plastic waste on beaches have become a serious problem that threatens the life of aquatic ecosystems. Not only do they pose a risk to animals – who can ingest them or become entangled in them – but also to humanity once they fragment into microplastics. To combat them, a group of scientists designed a technique to detect waste from space.
Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) have developed a tool capable of tracking plastic waste on beaches. While techniques already exist to identify plastic waste from space, they are not accurate enough on coasts. Satellites focus on tracking large amounts of plastic in water, however have difficulty distinguishing it on land as it mixes with sand.
To solve this problem, scientists at RMIT designed the Woven plastic waste index (BPDI), a technique that measures differences in light reflected from plastic waste than sand, water or vegetation. According to the researchers, BPDI is a mathematical formula that classifies these patterns of light, which are collected by a satellite moving in low Earth orbit.
“The BPDI is designed to map plastic debris in beach environments using high-definition data from the WorldView-3 satellite, which orbits the Earth in line with the Sun at an altitude of 617 km,” the researchers said. “This latest advance means we now have an effective way to detect plastic on beaches, where it can be more easily accessed and removed through clean-up operations.”
Satellites will be able to detect plastic waste in water and beaches
Second a publication on the RMIT website the researchers tested the BPDI against other satellite tracking methods. To do this, they placed 14 objects on an Australian beach, each made of a different type of plastic. The targets occupied an area of about 2 meters squared, a size much smaller than the satellite’s pixel size.
<img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="1014" alt="Detection of plastic waste with the help of satellites using BPDI." class="wp-image-1819264 perfmatters-lazy" src="https://i0.wp.com/imgs.hipertextual.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/1-s2.0-S0025326X24011019-gr3_lrg-1500×1950.jpg?resize=780%2C1014&quality=70&strip=all&ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/imgs.hipertextual.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/1-s2.0-S0025326X24011019-gr3_lrg.jpg?resize=1500%2C1950&quality=70&strip=all&ssl=1 1500w, https://i0.wp.com/imgs.hipertextual.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/1-s2.0-S0025326X24011019-gr3_lrg.jpg?resize=800%2C1040&quality=70&strip=all&ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/imgs.hipertextual.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/1-s2.0-S0025326X24011
According to experiments, the The BPDI outperformed other detection indices that were unable to identify the target or they have incorrectly classified beach areas with plastic waste. The researchers added that their spectral index is very useful in environments where water pixels and plastic-contaminated pixels coexist.
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According to Jenna Guffogg, lead author of the study, methods for measuring the scope of the problem or carrying out cleanups in remote locations were limited by technological capabilities. According to the researchers, BPDI would be crucial for locating and removing plastic waste will work with organizations to carry out clean-up operations.
Time.news Interview: Tracking Plastic Waste from Space
Host (Editor of Time.news): Welcome to Time.news! Today, we have a fascinating guest, Dr. Sarah Thompson, a leading researcher from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology who has been instrumental in developing a groundbreaking technique to track plastic waste on beaches from space. Welcome, Dr. Thompson!
Dr. Sarah Thompson: Thank you! I’m excited to be here and talk about our work.
Host: Let’s dive right in. Plastic waste has become a significant environmental issue, especially on our beaches. Can you give us a brief overview of why this is such a pressing problem?
Dr. Thompson: Absolutely. The accumulation of plastic waste on beaches threatens aquatic ecosystems and wildlife. Animals can ingest this plastic or become entangled, leading to severe health issues or death. Even more concerning, larger pieces of plastic can break down into microplastics, which can enter the food chain, ultimately impacting human health as well.
Host: That’s alarming. Given the scale of this issue, what inspired your team to seek a solution from space?
Dr. Thompson: Traditional methods of detecting plastics—like visual surveys or beach clean-up efforts—are limited in their scope and efficiency. We realized that satellites could provide a more expansive view, allowing us to monitor and identify areas of concern more effectively. However, existing satellite technology had challenges distinguishing plastic waste from sand and vegetation, which is where our research began.
Host: Interesting! Your team developed the Woven Plastic Waste Index (BPDI) to address this problem. How does it work?
Dr. Thompson: BPDI operates by measuring the differences in light reflected from plastic waste compared to natural elements like sand and vegetation. We developed a mathematical formula that classifies these light patterns collected by satellites in low Earth orbit. This allows us to pinpoint plastic debris with greater accuracy than traditional satellite methods.
Host: That sounds highly innovative! Can you explain the process your team used to test the effectiveness of BPDI?
Dr. Thompson: Certainly! We set up an experiment on an Australian beach where we placed 14 objects made from various types of plastics, each occupying a small area that is less than the pixel size of the satellite’s imagery. We then used the BPDI to track these objects and compared its accuracy against existing satellite tracking methods. Our results demonstrated that BPDI significantly outperformed previous techniques.
Host: It’s remarkable that you’re able to differentiate so precisely. What implications do you think this technology will have for beach clean-up efforts?
Dr. Thompson: The BPDI offers a powerful tool for environmental scientists and organizations involved in beach clean-up operations. By accurately detecting where plastic accumulates, we can focus our clean-up efforts on the most affected areas, making our interventions more effective and efficient. This proactive approach could lead to significant improvements in managing plastic waste on our beaches.
Host: That’s encouraging news! As someone deeply involved in this research, what do you hope the wider public takes away from your work?
Dr. Thompson: I hope that people understand the magnitude of the plastic crisis and recognize that technological advancements, like our BPDI, can be part of the solution. Every action counts. When combined with public awareness and policy changes, we can take meaningful steps toward preserving our oceans and beaches for future generations.
Host: Thank you, Dr. Thompson, for sharing your insights into this important topic. It’s inspiring to see how science can lead to innovative solutions for pressing environmental issues. We look forward to seeing how the BPDI technology evolves!
Dr. Thompson: Thank you for having me! It’s been a pleasure discussing this with you.
Host: And thank you to our audience for joining us today. Let’s continue to raise awareness and take action against plastic waste. Until next time!
