Description: 〈jats:p〉Plastic debris is ubiquitous in all ecosystems and has even reached locations that humans will hardly reach such as the deep ocean floor and the atmosphere. Research has highlighted that plastic debris is now pervasive even in remote Arctic regions. While modeling projections indicated local sources and long-distance transport as causes, empirical data about its origin and sources are scarce. Data collected by citizen scientists can increase the scale of observations, especially in such remote regions. Here, we report abundance and composition data of marine debris collected by citizen scientists on 14 remote Arctic beaches on the Spitsbergen archipelago. In addition, citizen scientists collected three large, industrial sized canvas bags (hereafter: big packs), filled with beached debris, of which composition, sources and origin were determined. A total debris mass of 1,620 kg was collected on about 38,000 m〈jats:sup〉2〈/jats:sup〉 (total mean = 41.83 g m〈jats:sup〉-2〈/jats:sup〉, SEM = ± 31.62). In terms of abundance, 23,000 pieces of debris were collected on 25,500 m〈jats:sup〉2〈/jats:sup〉 (total mean = 0.37 items of debris m〈jats:sup〉-2〈/jats:sup〉, SEM = ± 0.17). Although most items were plastic in both abundance and mass, fisheries waste, such as nets, rope, and large containers, dominated in mass (87%), and general plastics, such as packaging and plastic articles, dominated in abundance (80%). Fisheries-related debris points to local sea-based sources from vessels operating in the Arctic and nearby. General plastics could point to both land- and ship based sources, as household items are also used on ships and debris can be transported to the north 〈jats:italic〉via〈/jats:italic〉 the oceans current. Overall, 1% of the items (206 out of 14,707 pieces) collected in two big packs (2017 and 2021), bore imprints or labels allowing an analysis of their origin. If the categories ‘global’ and ‘English language’ were excluded, most of identifiable items originated from Arctic states (65%), especially from Russia (32%) and Norway (16%). But almost a third of the items (30%) was of European provenance, especially from Germany (8%). Five percent originated from more distant sources (e.g. USA, China, Korea, Brazil). Global measures such as an efficient and legally binding plastic treaty with improved upstream measures and waste management are urgently needed, to lower the amount of plastic entering our environments and in turn lifting the pressure on the Arctic region and its sensitive biota.〈/jats:p〉

Description: Cigarette filters offer no public health benefits, are single-use plastics (cellulose acetate) and are routinely littered. Filters account for a significant proportion of plastic litter worldwide, requiring considerable public funds to remove, and are a source of microplastics. Used cigarette filters can leech toxic chemicals and pose an ecological risk to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Bottom-up measures, such as focusing on consumer behaviour, are ineffective and we need to impose top-down solutions (i.e., bans) if we are to reduce the prevalence of this number one litter item. Banning filters offers numerous ecological, socioeconomic, and public health benefits.

Description: In 1999 the AWI established the HAUSGARTEN observatory, to assess the impact of climate change on Arctic ecosystems in Fram Strait (Arctic), which included repeated camera transects to assess changes on the deep Arctic seafloor. A first analysis of the footage highlighted that marine debris increased over time. Plastic debris was also sighted during sea surface observations for seabird surveys. This prompted us to add a pollution observatory to the ongoing research programme FRAM, aiming to quantify plastic pollution in different ecosystem compartments to identify hidden sinks. Here, we summarise the results of this work encompassing matrices such as snow, sea ice, surface waters, water column, deep seafloor, biota and Arctic beaches. Images from the deep seafloor taken since 2002 showed a marine debris concentration of 4,571 ± 1,628 items km-2, which is in range with polluted oceanic regions. Visual surveys of floating debris from the same region revealed 500 times lower concentrations (9 items km-2), showing that the deep Arctic seafloor constitutes a sink for marine debris. Quantities of 9–483 g m-2 were reported from 15 beach surveys on Svalbard by citizen scientists. Plastics accounted for 〉80% of the mass, primarily from fisheries. Microplastics in samples from the sea surface, water column, sediment, sea ice and snow were analysed by combining state-of–the-art sampling technology with µFT-IR analyses. Using the same analysis for samples from different ecosystem compartments enabled us to determine the vertical distribution of microplastics, as sea ice entrains extremely high microplastic concentrations, which are released to the underlying waters during ice melts. In-situ pump-filtrations throughout the water column revealed that microplastics prevail at all depths in Fram Strait (0–1,287 items m–3). Microplastic concentrations in sediments ranged from 239–13,331 N kg–1. Highest microplastics concentrations in sediments and the water column were measured close to the marginal ice zone and polymer compositions indicated a sea ice origin for most particles found in the deep waters of East Greenland, indicating sea ice as a temporal sink. Indeed, the highest concentration (1.2 ± 1.4) ×107 items m-3) was recorded in an ice core from pack ice of Fram Strait. The presence of microplastic in snow samples from ice floes indicates atmospheric deposition of microplastics. Recent research shows that resident zooplankton ingests microplastics, which were also found in the ice algae Melosira arctica. The data indicate that the seafloor and sea ice constitute (temporal) sinks of plastic pollution and that pollution levels are high, despite of the distance to sources. The receding sea ice has already led to increased anthropogenic pressure in the Fram Strait, which is likely to become a major shipping lane during summer. The number of fishers operating around Svalbard and of ship calls to Longyearbyen has already increased significantly. In addition, the prevailing hydrography promotes the transport of plastic pollutants from distant sources, mostly from the Atlantic Ocean, but also from the Central Arctic via the Transpolar Drift. Long-range atmospheric transport and deposition likely adds to this.

Description: Die Be­las­tung un­se­rer Mee­re und Ozea­ne mit Müll ist ein Um­welt­pro­blem glo­ba­len Aus­ma­ßes. Es wird pro­gnos­ti­ziert, dass der jähr­li­che glo­ba­le Ein­trag von land­ba­sier­tem Kunst­stoff­müll von rund 8 Mil­lio­nen Ton­nen im Jahr 2010 auf bis zu 100–250 Mil­lio­nen Ton­nen im Jahr 2025 an­stei­gen wird. 99% al­ler See­vo­gel-Ar­ten sol­len bis 2050 Plas­tik­müll ver­zeh­ren, heute sind es bereits ca. 90%. Wir wis­sen mitt­ler­wei­le, dass hier ein Um­welt­pro­blem glo­ba­len Aus­ma­ßes ent­stan­den ist, das nicht nur die Na­tur be­droht, son­dern auch Aus­wir­kun­gen auf den Men­schen ha­ben wird. Zu den bio­lo­gi­schen Ef­fek­ten kom­men so­zio-öko­no­mi­sche Aus­wir­kun­gen, wie Ein­bu­ßen im Tou­ris­mus, aber auch die un­mit­tel­ba­re Be­schä­di­gung in­dus­tri­el­ler An­la­gen und Kos­ten durch See­notret­tung. Seit 1999 be­treibt das Al­fred-We­ge­ner-In­sti­tut Lang­zeit­un­ter­su­chun­gen am Tief­see-Ob­ser­va­to­ri­um HAUS­GAR­TEN in der Ark­tis. Re­gel­mä­ßig wie­der­hol­te Auf­nah­men mit ei­ner ge­schlepp­ten Ka­me­ra zei­gen, dass der Mee­res­grund der ark­ti­schen Tief­see seit 2002 im­mer mehr Müll be­her­bergt. Auch an den Strän­den Spitz­ber­gens wird mitt­ler­wei­le an­ge­schwemm­ter Müll ein­ge­sam­melt. Un­se­re Un­ter­su­chun­gen zei­gen, dass gro­ße Men­gen von Mi­kro­plas­tik in das Meer­eis, Schnee und die Se­di­men­te der Tief­see ge­langt sind. In die­sem Vor­trag wird ein Aus­blick über die Er­geb­nis­se ge­zeigt und die Ur­sa­chen dis­ku­tiert.

Description: Floating marine debris is ubiquitous in marine environments but knowledge about quantities in remote regions is still limited. Here, we present the results of an extensive survey of floating marine debris by experts, trained scientists from fields other than pollution or non-professional citizen scientists. A total of 276 visual ship-based surveys were conducted between 2015 and 2020 in the Northeast (NE) Atlantic from waters off the Iberian Peninsula to the Central Arctic, however, with a focus on Arctic waters. Spatiotemporal variations among regional seas (Central Arctic, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, Norwegian Sea, North Sea) and oceanic regions (Arctic waters and the temperate NE Atlantic) were explored. The overall median debris concentration was 11 items km-2, with considerable variability. The median concentration was highest in the North Sea with 19 items km-2. The Nordic seas, except the Central Arctic showed median concentrations ranging from 9 to 13 items km-2. Plastic accounted for 91% of all floating items. Miscellaneous fragments, films, ropes and nets, packaging materials, expanded polystyrene and straps were the most frequently observed plastic types. Although the median debris concentration in the Central Arctic was zero, this region was not entirely free of floating debris. The variations between regional seas and oceanic regions were statistically not significant indicating a continuous supply by a northward transportation of floating debris. The data show a slight annual decrease and clear seasonal differences in debris concentrations with higher levels observed during summer. A correlation between debris concentrations and environmental and spatial variables was found, explaining partly the variability in the observations. Pollution levels were 500 times lower than those recorded on the seafloor indicating the seafloor as a sink for marine debris. The Arctic was characterised by similar pollution levels as regions in temperate latitudes highlighting that Arctic ecosystems face threats from plastic pollution, which add to the effects of rapid climate change.

Description: Plastic pollution is now pervasive in the Arctic, even in areas with no apparent human activity, such as the deep seafloor. In this Review, we describe the sources and impacts of Arctic plastic pollution, including plastic debris and microplastics, which have infiltrated terrestrial and aquatic systems, the cryosphere and the atmosphere. Although some pollution is from local sources — fisheries, landfills, wastewater and offshore industrial activity — distant regions are a substantial source, as plastic is carried from lower latitudes to the Arctic by ocean currents, atmospheric transport and rivers. Once in the Arctic, plastic pollution accumulates in certain areas and affects local ecosystems. Population-level information is sparse, but interactions such as entanglements and ingestion of marine debris have been recorded for mammals, seabirds, fish and invertebrates. Early evidence also suggests interactions between climate change and plastic pollution. Even if plastic emissions are halted today, fragmentation of legacy plastic will lead to an increasing microplastic burden in Arctic ecosystems, which are already under pressure from anthropogenic warming. Mitigation is urgently needed at both regional and international levels to decrease plastic production and utilization, achieve circularity and optimize solid waste management and wastewater treatment.

Description: The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) has published a plan and guidelines for the monitoring of litter and microplastics (MP) in the Arctic. Here we look beyond suggestions for immediate monitoring and discuss challenges, opportunities and future strategies in the long-term monitoring of litter and MP in the Arctic. Challenges are related to environmental conditions, lack of harmonization and standardization of measurements, and long-term coordinated and harmonized data storage. Furthermore, major knowledge gaps exist with regard to benchmark levels, transport, sources and effects, which should be considered in future monitoring strategies. Their development could build on the existing infrastructure and networks established in other monitoring initiatives in the Arctic, while taking into account specific requirements for litter and MP monitoring. Knowledge existing in northern and Indigenous communities, as well as their research priorities, should be integrated into collaborative approaches. The monitoring plan for litter and MP in the Arctic allows for an ecosystem-based approach, which will improve the understanding of linkages between environmental media of the Arctic, as well as links to the global problem of litter and MP pollution.

Description: The fate and transport pathways of floating debris are still not completely understood. The material with densities exceeding that of seawater is expected to sink to deeper water layers and eventually reach the seafloor. However, the fate of the plastic waste with lower density is complicated to determine, amongst others, due to complex weathering processes including biofilm formation on its surface. However, several studies have identified accumulation areas at the sea surface. The so-called “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre is probably the most recognized one among these areas, which likely continues to accumulate plastic rapidly.

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Description: Benthic megafauna in the Arctic Ocean are important for the functioning of deep-sea ecosystems and influence the global carbon cycle. Food availability, as represented primarily by the phytodetrital flux from surface layers, influences the structure of benthic communities in the Arctic Ocean. Along the highly productive marginal sea-ice zones, benthic communities benefit from enhanced food supply. With the advance in climate change, marginal sea-ice zones are shifting and organisms at the seafloor are faced with changing environmental fluxes. This study was designed in order to deepen our understanding of benthic megafauna community dynamics in the Arctic Ocean, from which to infer predictions about the future. Benthic megafauna was quantified by annotating image data from 2016 to 2021. Image data was derived from three different stations, located in the north (N3), centre (HG-IV) and south (S3) of the HAUSGARTEN observatory in the Fram Strait, and was analysed in context with sea-ice coverage measurements. The benthic megafauna communities showed a shift in dominant functional traits, from sessile suspension feeders, to mobile deposit feeders at all stations over the study period. The dominance of mobile deposit feeders was attributed to one species, the sea cucumber Elpidia heckeri. This species showed increases in density of more than 20% across all three stations during the study period. Variations in phytodetrital quality and quantity are most likely the reasons for these strong density increases of the opportunistic sea cucumber. Additionally, a positive relationship between benthic megafaunal density and the extent of sea-ice coverage at N3 and HG-IV was indicated. From these data, into the future, similar strong variations in deposit feeding holothurian densities are expected, given their ability to quickly respond to changing phytodetrital fluxes. This research shows how valuable long-term image-based data studies are in order to detect trends in the future Arctic Ocean.