Garbage Watch AI

Global plastic pollution in waterways is a serious environmental concern predicted to increase in the coming years with many groups currently invested in monitoring and removing plastics from aquatic ecosystems. Still, available data on the sources and pathways of larger floating plastics in freshwater environments is scarce. To bridge this gap, we present a computer vision model prototype to identify trash in primarily natural settings and develop a plan for a future implementation of the model. This would include an additional camera system to identify and collect data on passing trash on the surface of waterways. A system utilizing computer vision technology deployed at multiple sites seeks to inform existing monitoring and removal efforts while providing valuable open-access environmental data for the broader scientific community.