Plastic on Dutch Riverbanks – Observational assessment of macroplastic retention on riverbanks and floodplains

Plastic is an essential part of everyday human life, and even though plastic mass production started less than 100 years ag, plastic pollution is now a global problem. In this thesis the focus is on macroplastic (>2.5 cm) pollution on riverbanks in the Netherlands, which can originate from e.g surface run-off, sewer overflow, or littering. Macroplastic in rivers can be transported and emitted to the sea, or (intermittently) stored in the river bed, in riparian vegetation, or in and on riverbanks and floodplains. I specifically investigate:
1.    How stable is macroplastic deposition on riverbanks over time and space?
2.    What is the influence of flood events?
3.    How far are macroplastic items transported during a flood event and over the following years, and how does their condition develop in terms of mass and fragmentation?
4.    Following flood events, what is the influence of different landcover on macroplastic deposition, and how is plastic distributed in the lateral direction?