In-Stream Marine Litter Collection Device Location Determination Using Bayesian Network

Abdullah Battawi, Ellie Mallon, Anthony Vedral, Eric Sparks, Junfeng Ma and Mohammad Marufuzzaman
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Abdullah Battawi: Industrial and System Engineering Department, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
Ellie Mallon: Osprey Initiative, LLC, Mobile, AL 36606, USA
Anthony Vedral: Coastal Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, Biloxi, MS 39532, USA
Eric Sparks: Coastal Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, Biloxi, MS 39532, USA
Junfeng Ma: Industrial and System Engineering Department, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
Mohammad Marufuzzaman: Industrial and System Engineering Department, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: Increased generation of waste, production of plastics, and poor environmental stewardship has led to an increase in floating litter. Significant efforts have been dedicated to mitigating this globally relevant issue. Depending on the location of floating litter, removal methods would vary, but usually include manual cleanups by volunteers or workers, use of heavy machinery to rake or sweep litter off beaches or roads, or passive litter collection traps. In the open ocean or streams, a common passive technique is to use booms and a collection receptacle to trap floating litter. These passive traps are usually installed to intercept floating litter; however, identifying the appropriate locations for installing these collection devices is still not fully investigated. We utilized four common criteria and fifteen sub-criteria to determine the most appropriate setup location for an in-stream collection device (Litter Gitter—Osprey Initiative, LLC, Mobile, AL, USA). Bayesian Network technology was applied to analyze these criteria comprehensively. A case study composed of multiple sites across the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Coast was used to validate the proposed approach, and propagation and sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate performance. The results show that the fifteen summarized criteria combined with the Bayesian Network approach could aid location selection and have practical potential for in-stream litter collection devices in coastal areas.

Keywords: marine debris; marine litter; Litter Gitter; site selection; coastal; decision network; prevention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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