Abstract
Polythene sheeting is a major litter component on estuarine beaches and river banks. Sanitary towel backing strips, which are one of the commonest items of sewage related debris found on beaches, enter the riverine system via combined sewer overflows. Investigations on these items, positioned at natural riverine stranding levels, showed that after an initial rapid breakdown little further loss of tensile strength occurred. Experiments carried out on backing strips, buried in the bank suspended from a tree and tethered to the bank, showed significant change. Buried samples retained the greatest tensile strength retention, dropping no lower than 90 %, the other samples showed similar retention rates at 80%. The difference is probably due to photodegradation as biodegradation effects were minimal. Probably, the longevity of such plastics is a major reason for their abundance and widespread distribution both on river banks and beaches.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anon. 1983a.Standard test methods for tensile properties of thin plastic sheeting. Designation: ASTMD 882–83, pp. 326–333.
Anon. 1983b.British standards methods for testing plastics. Methods 326A to 326C. Determination of tensile strength and elongation of plastic films. BSI 2782, Part 3: 1860–1863.
Anon. 1985.Standard practice for outdoor weathering of plastics. ASTM 22, pp. 442–446.
Anon. 1986.British standard methods of testing plastics. Methods 320A to 320F. Tensile strength, elongation and elastic modulus. BSI 2782, Part 3: 1848–1857.
Anon. 1990a.Report on the UK feminine hygiene market in 1989. & Nephew Consumer Products Ltd, Birmingham, 7pp.
Anon. 1990b. The Irish Sea: An environmental review. Part 11. In: Irish Sea Studies Group (eds.)Inputs and pollution, pp. 47–56. Irish Sea Studies Group. Liverpool University Press, Liverpool.
Anon. 1991. ‘Rubbish at riverside’ Clean-up problems.SW Echo February 21st p. 10.
Anon. 1992a.Litter pickers. The Water Guardians: November 1992, p. 7.
Anon. 1992b.Enough debris to fill up Ilfracombe Harbour: Dredging up disaster. North Devon Advertiser, January 22nd, p. 7.
Anon. 1992c.Unwanted catches. January 23rd, North Devon Gazette: p. 4.
Anon. 1992d.The River Taff basin: A pilot study into litter abatement. Keep Wales Tidy Campaingn, Cardiff.
Anon. 1995.Norwich Union Coastwatch study. Norwich Union Coastwatch, Norwich.
Brookes, R.E. 1974.Suspended sediment and solute transport for rivers entering the Severn Estuary. Ph.D. Thesis, Bristol University, 99114.
Dixon, T.R. & Dixon, T.J. 1981. Marine litter surveillance.Mar. Poll Bull. 12 (9): 289–295.
Gilbert, R.O. 1987.Statistical methods of environmental pollution monitoring. Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishers, New York, NY.
Higgins, R.A. 1988.Properties of engineering materials. Hodder and Stoughton, London.
Huntingdon, R. 1990.Disposal of hygiene products—wet systems. Workshops on the disposability of hygiene products. Warren Springs Laboratory, Warren Springs.
Klemchuk, P.P. 1990. Degradable plastics: A critical review,Polymer Degr. Stabil. 27: 183–202.
Laist, D.W. 1987. Overview of the biological effects of lost and discarded plastic debris in the marine environment.Mar. Poll. Bull. 18 (6B): 319–326.
Lentz, S.A. 1987. Plastic in the environment: Legal approaches for international action.Mar. Poll. Bull. 18 (6B): 362–365.
Lloyd, D.R. 1987.PHVB—Biodegradable plastics. Proceedings from the Society of the Plastics Industry.
Nash, A.D. 1992. Impacts of marine debris on subsistence fisherman. An exploratory study.Mar. Poll. Bull. 3: 150–156.
Nykvist, N.B. 1974. Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene.J. Plastics Polymers 1974: 159–199.
Onions, C. & Rees, G. 1992.An Assessment of the environmental impacts of carriers discarded in the marine environment and the benefits derived from those fabricated from a photodegradable plastic giving enhanced degradability. The Tidy Britain Group, Wigan.
Potts, J.E., Glendenning, R.A. & Ackart, W.B. 1972.Environmental protection technology series. Report EPA R2/72/046. Office of Research and Monitoring, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.
Pruter, A.T. 1987. Source, quantities and distribution of persistent plastics in the marine environment.Mar. Poll. Bull. 18 (6B): 305–310.
Scott, G. 1972. Plastics packaging and coastal pollution.Int. J. Environ. Stud. 3: 35–36.
Seal, K.J. 1988. Biodeterioration and biodegration of naturally occurring and synthetic plastics.Biodeterioration Abstr. 2(4): 295–317.
Shaw, T.L. (ed) 1977.An environmental appraisal of the Severn Barragew. Bristol University, Bristol.
Simmons, S.L. & Williams, A.T. 1993. Persistent marine debris along the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, UK; A management problem. In: Sterr, H., Hofstide, J. & Plag, P. (eds.)Interdisciplinary discussions of coastal research and coastal management issues and problems, pp. 240–250. Peter Lang, Frankfurt.
Simmons, S.L. & Williams, A.T. 1994. Sewage related debris. In: Earll, R. (ed)Marine environmental management: review of events in 1993 and future trends, Vol. 1, pp. 45–48, Earll, Kempley.
Simmons, S.L., Fricker, A. & Williams, A.T. 1993. Offshore marine litter in Swansea Bay, Wales, UK. In: Magoon, O.T., Wilson, W.S., Converse, H. & Toben, L.T. (eds.)Coastal Zone '93, pp. 2283–2296 ASCE, New York, NY.
Williams, A.T. & Simmons, S.L. 1995. Sources and sinks of litter. In: Earll, R. (ed.),Coastal and riverine litter: Problems and effective solutions, pp. 14–18. Earll, Kempley.
Williams, A.T. & Simmons, S.L. In press. Estuarine litter at the river/beach interface in the Bristol Channel, UK.J. Coast. Res.
Williams, A.T., Leatherman, S.P. & Simmons, S.L. 1993a. Beach Aesthetics: South West Peninsula, UK. In: Sterr, H., Hofstide, J. & Plag, P. (eds.)Interdisciplinary discussions of coastal research and coastal management issues and problems, pp. 251–262. Peter Lang, Frankfurt.
Williams, A.T., Simmons, S.L. & Fricker, A. 1993b. Offshore sinks of litter: A new problem.Mar. Poll. Bull. 26 (7): 404–405.
Wypych, J. 1990.Weathering handbook. Chemtec Publishing, London.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Williams, A.T., Simmons, S.L. The degradation of plastic litter in rivers: Implications for beaches. J Coast Conserv 2, 63–72 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02743038
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02743038