Rivers are a major source of plastic waste in the oceans. We estimate that 1000 rivers, are accountable for nearly 80% of global annual riverine plastic emissions, which range between 0.8 – 2.7 million metric tons per year, with small urban rivers amongst the most polluting.

Plastic pollution in oceans and rivers is an emerging environmental hazard (1), and accumulation on riverbanks, deltas, coastlines (2), and the ocean surface (3) is rapidly increasing. Of all the plastics ever made to date, it was estimated that 60% has been discarded in landfills or in the natural environment (4).

Jun 7, 2017 · We estimate that between 1.15 and 2.41 million tonnes of plastic waste currently enters the ocean every year from rivers, with over 74% of emissions occurring between May and October....

Plastics accumulate in terrestrial and aquatic environments, making them a long-term source to freshwater and the oceans even if the mismanagement of waste is stopped. Local actions to reduce inputs to rivers in urban coastal areas can effectively reduce plastic export to the oceans. Plastics as a product are a success story.

Apr 30, 2021 · These new findings indicate that ocean plastic pollution is caused by a greater number of small and medium-sized rivers, defined by a set of geographic factors that determine the highest contribution to the inflow of plastic into our oceans.

Jan 14, 2025 · Plastic pollution in rivers is a growing global crisis, with rivers like the Ganges, Yangtze, and Buriganga transporting millions of tons of waste annually into oceans. Factors such as rapid urbanization, poor waste management, and single-use plastics drive this issue, endangering ecosystems and human health.

Integrated system change can reduce plastic pollution by 80% in 2040 compared to business as usual, preventing 195 billion kg leakage and saving society 70 billion USD. Breaking the Plastic Wave is also the basis for our Clean River Model .

Feb 17, 2025 · Much of this plastic comes from products we use every day such as disposable water bottles, plastic grocery bags, fishing net, fishing line, plastic cups and lids, packaging, balloons, and straws. ... This makes ocean plastics one of the most widespread pollution problems around the world. The stomach contents of a Laysan Albatross . NOAA PIFSC ...

The presence of waste plastic in the surface water environment has developed into a serious problem. It is not only unpleasant, but is a threat to sea birds, aquatic mammals, fish and ultimately to human health. Plastic waste in the marine environment was first reported in the 1970s. However, in early 2018 the BBC TV

Every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes. Plastic pollution is a global problem. Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas. Plastic pollution can ...