Marine Plastics Monitoring

Click here to download the Marine Plastics Monitor PDF

Abstract

Marine Plastics Monitor is a platform sponsored by Clean Oceans International (COI) where people can use a protocol to survey debris found on their local beaches. People can use a data sheet and submit it on the website, or use the mobile app, which sends data directly to the website. The website shows analysis of the surveys. This year, we made updates to the website and mobile app to make it more user-friendly, match them to the data sheets provided by COI, and allow users to edit and delete their surveys.

Website

• Submit beach surveys
• Create, edit, and delete own survey to correct mistakes in survey
• Map of beaches with data
• Visual representations of data

Mobile App

• Conduct surveys on any mobile device offline and send to website online
• Tutorial on how to conduct a survey
• Users can click on types of debris in survey to see example pictures of debris
• Dynamic styling so interface is same on all platforms

Overview

The goal of our sponsor, COI, is to allow people around the world to use their protocol to collect data on debris found on beaches and submit the data to the website for analysis. The purpose of this is to study trends and see if different recycling methods have a positive impact on the amount of debris that collects on beaches. COI provides a data sheet to collect the data and submit it to the website. The website and mobile app have both been updated to reflect recent updates to the data sheet. The protocol calls for three sub-surveys: Surface Rib Scan (SRS),  Accumulation Survey (AS), and Micro Debris Survey (MDS).