Proceedings of the 11th International Carbon Dioxide Conference

Plastic usage poses a significant threat to the environment, biodiversity, and human health. While monitoring the concentrations of plastic litter in the ocean is crucial due to the harm it causes to aquatic species and ecosystems, it is essential to understand its presence in-land, as most plastic pollution originates from land-based sources. Addressing this issue on a global scale requires understanding the full extent of plastic distribution, including its presence in remote areas, agricultural usage, and landfill accumulation. To achieve this, we use the surface reflectance spectra from NASA's Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) imaging spectrometer, covering a wavelength range from 380 nm to 2500 nm. By applying a column-wise adaptive matched filter and using a library of plastic reflectance spectra, we successfully identified various types of plastic signatures across multiple continents between +/- 52 degrees. By performing a comprehensive analysis of the global distribution of various types of plastics detected in-land, along with the identification of potential sources, we provide valuable insights into the carbon emissions resulting from plastic pollution.