- 1Jagiellonian University, Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Cracow, Poland (wojciech.haska@doctoral.uj.edu.pl)
- 2Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Nature Conservation, Cracow, Poland (liro@iop.krakow.pl)
- 3Jagiellonian University, Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Cracow, Poland (elzbieta.gorczyca@uj.edu.pl)
- 4Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Nature Conservation, Cracow, Poland (mikus@iop.krakow.pl)
The phenomenon of littering along roadways has been extensively studied [1][2][3][4], with research indicating that a significant portion of roadside litter now consists of plastic materials [1][3]. This issue has detrimental effects on the aesthetic value of landscapes, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and human health [5]. These risks are particularly pronounced in mountainous regions, which are especially vulnerable due to the necessity of constructing road infrastructure in valley bottoms adjacent to river channels. The transfer of plastic from roads to rivers is influenced by its intrinsic properties (e.g., mass-to-surface-area ratio) and various extrinsic factors (e.g., terrain slope, wind, precipitation, land cover, and vegetation types).
Here, we present initial findings from a year-long field experiment conducted at 16 locations within the valley bottom of the Kamienica Gorczańska River in the Polish Carpathians. This study tracked the movement of 288 litter objects, including various types of macroplastics. The results demonstrated that plastic debris can be remobilized over distances exceeding 8,5 meters within a single season, with this displacement influenced by slope (R2= 0,46) and type of plastic debris. These findings highlight the critical need to understand the interactions between roadways and river ecosystems to better evaluate the contribution of roadside littering to plastic pollution in rivers, particularly in mountainous environments.
Keywords: plastic pollution, road system, mountain rivers.
References:
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How to cite: Haska, W., Liro, M., Gorczyca, E., and Mikuś, P.: From roads to rivers: Field experiments on road-related macroplastic input to mountain river system, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-952, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-952, 2025.
