From seabed to satellite: detecting plastic pollution with smart technology

Although plastic does not belong in nature, it is now found everywhere: in all shapes, colours, and sizes. It spreads through rivers and seas, from visible litter on beaches to almost invisible microplastics in the water and on the seabed. Because manually detecting and collecting this waste requires significant time and resources, technology offers a valuable alternative.

The SSPIRIT research project, coordinated by VITO, brings together Flemish expertise to use innovative detection techniques and models to better understand where plastic accumulates and how it moves through our waters.

SSPIRIT stands for From Seabed to SPace: Identifying and quantifying plastic litteR with Innovative remote sensing Technologies. The three-year project was launched in June 2025 and brings together VITO, Flanders Marine Institute, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Ghent University, Blue Cluster, and Flanders Space, with funding from VLAIO.

Although the research focuses on the Belgian part of the North Sea and the Scheldt estuary, the ambitions extend much further. The knowledge and technology developed within SSPIRIT can later be applied internationally: from European estuaries and coastal waters to global satellite observations. In this way, Flanders strengthens its position as an innovative test region for marine environmental policy and sustainable technology.

The aim of SSPIRIT is as ambitious as it is essential: to better understand and measure plastic pollution. The project combines various remote sensing techniques - including drones, underwater cameras, and satellite imagery - to build a more complete picture of how plastic is distributed and concentrated in rivers and seas.

When direct detection proves difficult, researchers turn to indirect indicators such as water turbidity or the presence of vegetation along riverbanks. By combining all these technologies, SSPIRIT gradually builds a fully three-dimensional picture of plastic pollution in our seas and rivers. The collected data are further analysed using smart data processing and predictive models to better understand how plastic moves and accumulates within marine ecosystems.

As project coordinator, VITO leads the design of experiments, data collection, and the integration of different technologies. Within SSPIRIT, Flemish research institutes and partners are laying the scientific foundations for a future satellite mission capable of detecting floating plastics on the water’s surface.

The project partners are also exploring how drone images, smart cameras, smartphones, and artificial intelligence can be used to detect plastic on beaches and riverbanks more quickly and accurately, creating an integrated approach that combines observations from both air and water.

Beyond research, SSPIRIT places strong emphasis on collaboration and application. The project includes the creation of an Innovation Accelerator — a platform that helps companies and policymakers apply the knowledge and technologies developed within SSPIRIT in practice.

In doing so, SSPIRIT not only delivers new insights into plastic pollution, but also concrete solutions for monitoring, prevention, and policymaking. The project thus contributes to a sustainable blue economy, where technology and ecology go hand in hand.