Here's how to help tackle plastic waste in Portsmouth as part of a world-first project

CITY residents can help tackle the problem of plastic waste by using a pioneering new app as part of a world-first project.
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The Mapping Portsmouth Plastic (Mapp) project is set to launch this weekend and will use data gathered from the app to better understand the patterns and movement of plastic litter in the city, which can then be used to find solutions to reduce waste.

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To take part people can download the Jetsam app on their mobile phones and submit photographs of the plastic waste they find.

Plastic waste.Plastic waste.
Plastic waste.
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Professor Steve Fletcher, director of Revolution Plastics at the University of Portsmouth – which is leading the study, said: ‘The launch of this project is incredibly exciting.

‘With climate change very much on the agenda at the moment, it is developments like this that can and will make a real difference. The app will create the evidence base for solutions to reduce plastic entering the sea and the wider environment.

‘The more people that use the app, the more researchers will understand about plastic flows within the city and ultimately work to tackle plastic waste at source.’

Users of the app will be asked to take part in surveys on specific dates with the first taking place on November 12 and 13.

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All photos that are contributed, along with embedded location data, will form a ‘plastic heatmap’ of the local area.

The Revolution Plastics team will then be able to see where and when plastic waste is building up, and the different types of plastic pollution that are found in the city. In total, there will be five separate surveys of the city-wide plastic situation over the coming months.

Co-founder of the app’s creator Jetsam Tech, Louis Capitanchik, added: ‘As an island city with an active community, Portsmouth is the ideal laboratory for an initiative like this.

‘Sadly, it doesn’t take much detective work to find plastic waste - such as bottles and packaging in gutters or washed up on the beach. Once we’ve proven that a community driven project can make meaningful environmental change we can take Jetsam on the road and make a difference around the world.’

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The Mapp project will be launched on the October 23at a family friendly event in Portsmouth. Book your ticket by visiting portsmouthclimatefestival.org/events/mapping-portsmouths-plastic-launch.

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