Abstract

Stormwater-driven plastic debris has emerged as a significant contributor to environmental pollution, particularly in urbanized watersheds like the Lake Ontario basin. This study focuses on developing a comprehensive framework to quantify and predict anthropogenic debris (AD) inputs and transport pathways across Monroe County, NY, using stormwater systems as a key vector. Over two years, empirical data on plastic debris were collected from storm drains retrofitted with LittaTrap™ devices across urban and suburban areas. Debris was weighed, categorized by material and use, and paired with spatial and temporal variables such as land use, rainfall, temperature, and wind events. A Support Vector Regression (SVR) model was developed to estimate daily plastic input from 30,000 storm drains, predicting a total of over 13.8 metric tonnes of debris in 2023, with approximately 6 tonnes directly entering the environment through municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). Urban commercial areas were identified as major hotspots, with seasonal trends revealing higher debris loads during warmer months, influenced primarily by temperature and precipitation. Building on these findings, a watershed transport model was designed to simulate debris movement through streams, riparian zones, and stormwater ponds, integrating parameters like stream order, vegetation cover, and rainfall intensity using a modified Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). The model highlights the role of precipitation in mobilizing debris from terrestrial inputs into aquatic systems, underscoring the vulnerability of higher-order streams and riparian zones during storm events. This work provides actionable insights for policymakers and watershed managers, offering a predictive tool to identify pollution hotspots, optimize cleanup interventions, and mitigate plastic debris transport. By emphasizing stormwater as a critical pathway, the framework can be adapted to other municipalities, contributing to scalable, data-driven solutions for plastic pollution in freshwater systems.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Stormwater infiltration; Watershed ecology--Ontario, Lake (N.Y. and Ont.); Water--Pollution--New York (State)--Mathematical modeling; Plastic scrap

Publication Date

12-19-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Environmental Science (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences

College

College of Science

Advisor

Matthew Hoffman

Advisor/Committee Member

Anna Christina Tyler

Advisor/Committee Member

Karl Korfmacher

Comments

This thesis has been embargoed. The full-text will be available on or around 1/17/2026.

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

ENVS-MS

Download

Available for download on Saturday, January 17, 2026

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