Loughborough University researchers will assess how coastal litter from the ocean has changed over the past half-century in a unique project that brings together local heritage, drones, and mobile phone apps.
Dr Tom Stanton, of the Department of Geography and Environment, and Melissa Schiele, a PhD student in the School of Mechanical, Electrical, and Manufacturing Engineering, have received an innovation grant from the UK marine conservation charity Sea-Changers to explore how litter has changed in the Isle of Skye.
The pair are collaborating with local organisations and residents on the Scottish island to explore how the distribution and characteristics of litter on beaches have changed over the last 50 years, as well as investigate the presence of microplastic pollution and textile fibres in coastal waters.
The one-year-long study involves gathering oral histories and conducting community beach litter surveys using mobile phone litter-logging apps.