News

Province of Fryslân | GPS floats follow the path of plastic waste

18 February 2025 Members' News

A new project aims to track the movement of plastic waste in the surface waters of the Province of Fryslân towards the Wadden Sea using GPS-equipped floating trackers. The first GPS floats were released on 7 February, marking the start of the initiative. These trackers, about the size of a soda bottle, capture data on the movement of plastic under the influence of wind and currents. This project is part of a broader effort to understand the extent of plastic pollution in local waters, with most of the plastic in the Wadden Sea originating from the Netherlands.

In addition to GPS tracking, cameras will be installed at bridges to monitor drifting debris, and AI will analyse the footage. Fine-mesh nets will collect microplastics at various sites to complete the data. Once key areas and routes are identified, the project will implement targeted systems to capture plastic waste and raise awareness through prevention campaigns.

Source: www.fryslan.frl (in Dutch)