Mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of Argentina
Abstract The proliferation of plastic waste since the 20th century has exacerbated pollution problems despite technological advances in waste management. In Argentina, 35% of municipal solid waste is discarded in untreated open dumps, causing environmental and public health risks. This study focused...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02653-0 |
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| author | Agustina Malizia Alberto Galindo-Cardona Emiliano Matias Patricio Gallardo García Freire Javier Foguet A. Carolina Monmany-Garzia |
| author_facet | Agustina Malizia Alberto Galindo-Cardona Emiliano Matias Patricio Gallardo García Freire Javier Foguet A. Carolina Monmany-Garzia |
| author_sort | Agustina Malizia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The proliferation of plastic waste since the 20th century has exacerbated pollution problems despite technological advances in waste management. In Argentina, 35% of municipal solid waste is discarded in untreated open dumps, causing environmental and public health risks. This study focused on detecting and mapping open dumps in the most densely populated province, Tucumán, using satellite imagery and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Specifically, for each dump we (1) described spatio-temporal dynamics, (2) analyzed topography and hydrology characteristics, and (3) quantified waste mass. We identified and mapped forty open dumps (range size: 0.05 to 3.79 hectare). Most dumps were located within an endorheic basin, at 5 km or less from urban centers. Many have increased in size over the last decade, especially larger dumps (> than 1 hectare). The hydrological analysis showed material movement from dumps to surrounding environments, mainly watercourses and crops. Total waste mass averaged 5.72 kilotons (kt) per dump (range: 0.06 to 38.45 kilotons, where 1 kt = 1000 tons). This exhaustive survey of open dumps highlights the urgent need for sustainable waste management practices to mitigate environmental and public health risks in Tucumán and other regions facing similar challenges. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cbf63d06f730454db05f98bdd2184c21 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-cbf63d06f730454db05f98bdd2184c212025-08-20T03:08:25ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-02653-0Mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of ArgentinaAgustina Malizia0Alberto Galindo-Cardona1Emiliano Matias2Patricio Gallardo García Freire3Javier Foguet4A. Carolina Monmany-Garzia5Instituto de Ecología Regional, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán - CONICETInstituto de Ecología Regional, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán - CONICETInstituto de Ecología Regional, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán - CONICETAeroterraInstituto de Ecología Regional, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán - CONICETInstituto de Ecología Regional, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán - CONICETAbstract The proliferation of plastic waste since the 20th century has exacerbated pollution problems despite technological advances in waste management. In Argentina, 35% of municipal solid waste is discarded in untreated open dumps, causing environmental and public health risks. This study focused on detecting and mapping open dumps in the most densely populated province, Tucumán, using satellite imagery and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Specifically, for each dump we (1) described spatio-temporal dynamics, (2) analyzed topography and hydrology characteristics, and (3) quantified waste mass. We identified and mapped forty open dumps (range size: 0.05 to 3.79 hectare). Most dumps were located within an endorheic basin, at 5 km or less from urban centers. Many have increased in size over the last decade, especially larger dumps (> than 1 hectare). The hydrological analysis showed material movement from dumps to surrounding environments, mainly watercourses and crops. Total waste mass averaged 5.72 kilotons (kt) per dump (range: 0.06 to 38.45 kilotons, where 1 kt = 1000 tons). This exhaustive survey of open dumps highlights the urgent need for sustainable waste management practices to mitigate environmental and public health risks in Tucumán and other regions facing similar challenges.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02653-0AnthropoceneUnmanned aerial vehicleSolid wasteMunicipalityWatershedPlastic pollution |
| spellingShingle | Agustina Malizia Alberto Galindo-Cardona Emiliano Matias Patricio Gallardo García Freire Javier Foguet A. Carolina Monmany-Garzia Mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of Argentina Scientific Reports Anthropocene Unmanned aerial vehicle Solid waste Municipality Watershed Plastic pollution |
| title | Mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of Argentina |
| title_full | Mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of Argentina |
| title_fullStr | Mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of Argentina |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of Argentina |
| title_short | Mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of Argentina |
| title_sort | mapping open dumps and waste dynamics in a subtropical ecoregion of argentina |
| topic | Anthropocene Unmanned aerial vehicle Solid waste Municipality Watershed Plastic pollution |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02653-0 |
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