Masses of toxic litter pours from Rhine into North Sea each year, research finds

A recent study published in Communications Sustainability found that the Rhine River transports thousands of tonnes of toxic litter into the North Sea annually. Researchers from the University of Bonn, with the help of citizen scientists, analyzed litter collected from the Rhine between November 2022 and November 2023, estimating up to 4,700 tonnes of macrolitter are carried each year. The litter, including plastics, food waste, and tires, contains heavy metals and chemicals that can harm ecosystems and potentially human health. The study highlights the Rhine as a major contributor to marine litter in Europe and emphasizes the need for further research to understand the full extent of river pollution and its impact on aquatic environments and infrastructure.

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