PDP #1: Monitoring of marine litter

About this project

<p><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000">The objective of the project is to develop methodological guidelines for marine litter, including microlitter, monitoring and carry out evaluations and assessments based on the methodologies prepared through the project.</span></span></span></p> <p><br> <span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000"><strong>The project includes:</strong></span></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align: justify"><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif">At least 3 methodologies for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of marine litter including microplastics in water column, sediments and transitional waters zones will be developed.&nbsp; These would also include identification of the sources of the litter;</span></span></li> <li style="text-align: justify"><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000">Using the above-mentioned methodologies, baseline data on actual amounts of the macro- and micro-litter emission to the Baltic Sea from sources on Lithuanian soil will be assembled;</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align: justify"><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000">At least 7 different entry pathways of litter from Lithuanian coast will be investigated: 4 wastewater treatment plants, 2 surface wastewater systems and 1 surface water body.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify"><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><strong><span style="color: #000000">Project benefit</span></strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000">The expected outcome of the project is to create capacity at Environmental Protection Agency to identify and monitor environmental pressures caused by marine litter, including microplastics. The methodologies of mapping and monitoring of the microplastics and other marine litter would serve as a basis for creation of a database that would permit to compare and analyse data, to forecast the trends and enable scientifically-based decision making on response measures.</span> <span style="color: #000000">It is expected that project will serve as a basis for inclusion of marine litter monitoring into the National Environmental Monitoring Programme.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000">The project forms an important of the Lithuanian government's efforts for compliance with the EU Marine Strategic Framework Directive. The project will contribute to an increased understanding of the ecological consequences of marine littering in Lithuanian waters as well as their sources and location.</span></span></span></p> <p><br> <span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000"><strong>Target groups of the project:&nbsp;</strong></span><span style="color: #000000"> Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania.</span></span></span></p>