I
t can be difficult to track marine
information, we were then able to see, for
litter because it does not usually hold
example, that on the coast of the Japan
obvious evidence of where it comes
Sea, lighters that flowed out of southern
from/where it was discarded. It unfortu-
areas were found in northern areas of the
nately cannot talk and there is usually
sea, but the reverse was minimal (Fujieda
nothing location-specific printed on it, or
& Kojima, 2006, Fujieda et al., 2006).
if it did have something at one point, it
This direction of flow makes sense
has faded.
because of the Tsushima Warm Current.
A litter item which can tell a story
It was suggested that by using this
To overcome this challenge, we have developed a method to monitor outflow areas, the flow and the extent of the effects of marine litter using disposable lighters on the coast of the East Asia as an indicator item (Fujieda, 2003, Fujieda & Kojima, 2006, Fujieda et al. 2006). The lighter is the only flotsam that clearly displays the details of its consumption area for a long period of time, through the printed information (e.g. shop address, shop name, telephone number) on the tank surface. Using this
method that it would be possible to monitor the outflow area, distribution of influence area and annual change of marine litter from the coast of many other countries. Fujieda et al. (2011) expanded the initial observation area further after this breakthrough, to the remote islands of the North Pacific, and began the study referred to as the International Lighter Project. This project monitored the marine debris from Japan to the North Pacific and identified the outflow area of marine litter on the coast of North
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