Version 1
: Received: 9 May 2024 / Approved: 10 May 2024 / Online: 10 May 2024 (18:29:03 CEST)
How to cite:
Brizga, J.; Ulme, J.; Larsson, A. Impact of the Implementation of the Deposit Refund System on Coastal Littering in Latvia. Preprints2024, 2024050708. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0708.v1
Brizga, J.; Ulme, J.; Larsson, A. Impact of the Implementation of the Deposit Refund System on Coastal Littering in Latvia. Preprints 2024, 2024050708. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0708.v1
Brizga, J.; Ulme, J.; Larsson, A. Impact of the Implementation of the Deposit Refund System on Coastal Littering in Latvia. Preprints2024, 2024050708. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0708.v1
APA Style
Brizga, J., Ulme, J., & Larsson, A. (2024). Impact of the Implementation of the Deposit Refund System on Coastal Littering in Latvia. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0708.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Brizga, J., Janis Ulme and Anna Larsson. 2024 "Impact of the Implementation of the Deposit Refund System on Coastal Littering in Latvia" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0708.v1
Abstract
This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impact of implementing the beverage container DRS on marine and coastal litter along the Latvian coastline. It incorporates data and insights from the assessment of deposit fractions litter in coastal areas during the post-season autumn period in three monitoring sessions from 2021 (before the introduction of the DRS in Latvia) to 2023 (post-introduction). In 2022, a 43% overall decrease in selected public coastal areas was observed, with significant reductions at 11 out of 17 sites. This positive trend continued in 2023, showcasing a further 22% decrease compared to 2022 and a substantial 56% decrease compared to 2021. The study delves into the specific impact on different material types of beverage containers, reporting significant decreases in plastic and aluminum litter fractions. While glass beverage container litter showed a smaller decrease, overall positive trends continued in 2023. However, the situation with aluminum cans remained challenging, especially in border areas with Lithuania and Estonia. The study emphasizes that beverage containers with identifiable deposit system labels constitute a minority of the total litter pressure, underscoring the need for ongoing efforts to address containers without deposit labels, particularly in specific border areas. The findings provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the deposit system in mitigating coastal litter, contributing to sustainable waste management practices in Latvia.
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Waste Management and Disposal
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
