Methodology Note
Figures are modeled estimates from Meijer et al. (2021), not measured basin totals. Basin attribution on this site covers the dataset's top 1,000 outfall points; the full dataset contains 31,819 points.
Arctic Ocean FAQ
Do rivers carry plastic to the Arctic Ocean?
Rivers contribute plastic to all major ocean basins, but in the Meijer et al. (2021) model none of the top 1,000 outfall points drain to the Arctic Ocean. Basin attribution on this site covers the top 1,000 points only, so smaller modeled inputs to this basin exist in the full 31,819-point dataset without being individually mapped here.
Why does this page exist if there are no ranked rivers?
To answer the question directly and honestly. Stating that the Arctic Ocean receives no top 1,000 modeled outfalls is itself a citable data point from the dataset, and this page links to the basins that do receive high-ranked riverine plastic inputs.
Sources
- Meijer, L.J.J. et al. (2021). "More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean." Science Advances, 7(18). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz5803
- UNEP (2021). "From Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution." View report