Description: Rivers are an important transport route of anthropogenic litter from inland sources toward the sea. A collaborative (i.e. citizen science) approach was used to evaluate the litter pollution of rivers in Germany: schoolchildren within the project “Plastic Pirates” investigated rivers across the entire country during the years 2016 and 2017 by surveying floating macrolitter at 282 sites and taking 164 meso−/microplastic samples (i.e. particles 24.99–5 mm, and 4.99–1 mm, respectively). Floating macrolitter was sighted at 54% of sampling sites and floating macrolitter quantities ranged from 0 to 8.25 items m−1 h−1 (average of 0.34 ± 0.89 litter items m−1 h−1). Floating meso−/microplastics were present at 57% of the sampling sites, and floating meso−/microplastic quantities ranged from 0 to 220 particles h−1 (average of 6.86 ± 24.11 items h−1). As only particles 〉1 mm were sampled and analyzed, the pollution of rivers in Germany by microplastics could be a much more prevalent problem, regardless of the size of the river. We identified six plastic pollution hotspots where 60% of all meso−/microplastics collected in the present study were found. These hotspots were located close to a plastic-producing industry site, a wastewater treatment plant, at and below weirs, or in residential areas. The composition of the particles at these hotspots indicates plastic producers and possibly the construction industry and wastewater treatment plants as point sources. An identification of litter hotspots would enable specific mitigation measures, adjusted to the respective source, and thereby could prevent the release of large quantities of small plastic particles in rivers. The adopted large-scale citizen science approach was especially suitable to detect pollution hotspots by sampling a variety of rivers, large and small, and enabled a national overview of litter pollution in German rivers.

Description: Over the last decades there has been an increasing awareness within the scientific community of the importance of communicating science. A growing number of multiple citizen science programs aimed at facilitating the sharing of scientific knowledge with the public. One such approach adopts narrative role plays, involving interactive games which simulate real life situations in a safe environment. During these simulations, participants adopt different roles (scientist, politician) and are posed with a specific research question relevant to e.g. environmental protection. With the AWI school lab OPENSEA we developed a narrative role play on marine litter. In this narrative role playing provides an opportunity at hands-on research and discovery from four different perspectives of plastic pollution. High School students learn about the different perspectives of plastic pollution in the course of different phases through hands-on research and discovery. We apply recent scientific findings and literature as well as, interactive modules designed to take place both on-field and in the lab. The modules are designed to be also applicable for classroom setting which are implemented to the education for sustainable development.

Description: Plastik ist in fast allen unserer Lebensbereiche allgegenwärtig, da es unseren Alltag erleichtert. Gleichzeitig ist uns bewusst, dass wir damit eine Flut an Plastikmüll erzeugen, der in großem Maß auch in die Umwelt und die Meere gelangt. Wie kann es uns gelingen, einen verantwortungsvollen und reflektierten Umgang mit Plastik zu fördern und damit einen Beitrag zur Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung zu leisten? Ein Planspiel will darauf eine Antwort geben: Die fiktive Stadt Siebenstadt steht vor der Frage, wie auf regionaler Ebene ein verantwortungsvoller Umgang mit Plastik gelingen kann. Dazu wird ein Untersuchungsausschuss einberufen, der über den zukünftigen Umgang der Stadt mit Plastik entscheiden soll. Die Ausschussmitglieder vertreten unterschiedliche Interessen und sind eingeladen, durch Experimente, Recherchen und Diskussionen fachliche Grundlagen und ethische Argumentationen rund um das Thema Plastik aufzubauen, die im Zusammentreffen des Ausschusses vorgetragen und abgewogen werden. Das Planspiel richtet sich an Lehrkräfte, Umweltbildner und alle Interessierte, deren Ziel es ist, zentrale naturwissenschaftliche Kompetenzen wie das Experimentieren und Argumentieren anwendungsorientiert zu fördern, um darüber die Partizipation an gesellschaftlichen Debatten rund um das Thema Plastik zu ermöglichen.

Description: Rivers are an important transport route of anthropogenic litter from inland sources toward the sea. A citizen science approach was used to evaluate the litter pollution of rivers in Germany: schoolchildren within the project “Plastic Pirates” observed floating macrolitter at 282 sites and took meso-/microplastic samples (i.e. particles 1 mm - 25 mm) at over 164 sites across the entire country during the years 2016 and 2017. Floating macrolitter quantities ranged from 0 to 8.25 items m -1 h -1 (average of 0.34 ± 0.89 litter items m -1 h -1 ) and floating macrolitter was sighted at 54% of sampling sites. The quantities of floating meso-/microplastics ranged from 0 to 220 particles h -1 (average of 6.86 ± 24.11 meso-/microplastics h -1 ). They were present at 57% of the sampling sites. Given that only particles 〉 1 mm were sampled and analyzed, the pollution of rivers in Germany by microplastics is likely a ubiquitous problem, regardless of the size of the river. We identified six plastic pollution hotspots where 60% of all meso-/microplastics collected in the present study were found. The composition of the particles at these hotspots indicates plastic producers and possibly the construction industry and wastewater treatment plants as point sources. An identification of litter hotspots would enable specific mitigation measures, adapted to the respective source, and thereby prevent the release of large quantities of small plastic particles in rivers. The adopted large-scale citizen science approach was especially suitable to detect pollution hotspots by sampling a variety of rivers, large and small, and enabled a national overview of litter pollution in German rivers.

Description: Rivers are an important transport route of anthropogenic litter from inland sources toward the sea. A citizen science approach was used to evaluate the litter pollution of rivers in Germany: schoolchildren within the project “Plastic Pirates” observed Floating macrolitter at 282 sites and took meso-/microplastic samples (i.e. particles 1 mm - 25 mm) at over 164 sites across the entire 28 country during the years 2016 and 2017. Floating macrolitter quantities ranged from 0 to 8 items m-1 h-1 (average of 0.34 ± 0.89 litter items m-1 h-1) and floating macrolitter was sighted at 54% of sampling sites. The quantities of floating meso-/microplastics ranged from 0 to 220 particles h-1 (average of 6.86 ± 24.11 meso-/microplastics h-1). They were present at 57% of the sampling sites. Given that only particles 〉 1 mm were sampled and analyzed, the pollution of rivers in Germany by microplastics is likely a ubiquitous problem, regardless of the size of the river. We identified six plastic pollution hotspots where 60% of all meso-/microplastics collected in the present study were found. The composition of the particles at these hotspots indicates plastic producers and possibly the construction industry and wastewater treatment plants as point sources. An identification of litter hotspots would enable specific mitigation measures, adapted to the 38 respective source, and thereby prevent the release of large quantities of small plastic particles in rivers. The adopted large-scale citizen science approach was especially suitable to detect pollution hotspots by sampling a variety of rivers, large and small, and enabled a national overview of litter pollution in German rivers.

Description: Das Projekt „Müll im Meer“ bereitet Expertenwissen zu Strategien der Probennahme, Analytik und Quantifizierung von Mikroplastik im Meer didaktisch mit vier Kooperationspartnern auf. Ziel ist es, fundierte und praxisorientierte Lernmodule für Schulen und außerschulische Lernorte zu entwickeln. Schülerinnen und Schüler der Sekundarstufe II führen diese in vier bis fünf Tagen durch. Die Lernmodule werden thematisch in naturwissenschaftliche Fächer integriert und sind im Zusammenhang mit Umweltschutz und nachhaltiger Nutzung von Ressourcen zu behandeln.