10 May 2022 --- Global governments, industry and community organizers can now view plastic waste sites through an interactive map developed using satellite imagery and machine learning. The Global Plastics Watch map has already identified over 2,800 dumps in 25 countries and provides information on land attributes like water presence, drainage, earth density, soil content and human population. The map is under development and can detect waste sites as small as 5 square meters and measure changes in surface areas. It was created by the Australian philanthropic society and the Minderoo Foundation in collaboration with digital environmental product company Earthrise Media.
