Comprehensive Litter Datasheet
The Comprehensive Litter Datasheet is, much more detailed than the Basic Litter Datasheet. This datasheet groups litter into more than 140 different categories. The types of litter included in the Comprehensive Litter Datasheet was decided based on common items found on beaches in Africa and around the globe.
This datasheet is recommended where resources (e.g., time, money, and helpers) are freely available. However, sorting litter into so many categories can be time-consuming, so it is important to decide beforehand what you are hoping to learn from your beach surveys and choose the appropriate datasheet. Remember, the more you sort litter, the more your skill develops and so the more efficient you become.
As with the Basic Litter Datasheet, the litter items are grouped into different categories. These categories are based on common sources of litter. For example, fishing line is grouped with fishing gear rather than plastic.
The 11 main categories are:
The size of fragments
For those interested in finding out about the size of fragments, the Comprehensive Litter Datasheet divides fragments into six different size classes.
The fragment size categories are:
- 2.5 – 5 cm
- 5 – 10 cm
- 10 – 25 cm
- 25 – 50 cm
- 50 – 100 cm
- >100 cm
Litter fragment sizing chart
Litter fragment size can be determined using the Macrolitter Fragment Sizing Chart.
The chart is set up to scale when printed on an A1-sized paper. If you are not interested in the size of fragments, then it is not necessary to measure and record the sizes. Fragments can simply be recorded as e.g., Hard Plastic Fragment.
Below is a sample of the chart. Click on the chart for an example of how to use the chart and a link to download a PDF printable version of the chart.
