MSFD GES Task Group 10 Definition:   Properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment Definition: Marine litter is any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the marine and coastal environment. E Amato, A Birkun, D Fleet, J van Franeker, F Galgani(Chair), C Janssen, S Katsanevakis, T Maes, J Mouat, L Oosterbaan, I Poitou, C Brooks (Observer), G Hanke, G Kamizoulis (Observer), I Petersen (Observer), R Thompson, V Velikova (Observer)

Interpretation of the descriptor 10 What is included Marine litter consists of items that have been made or used by people and deliberately discarded or unintentionally lost into the sea and on beaches including such materials transported into the marine environment from land by rivers, draining or sewage systems or winds (plastics, wood, metals, glass, rubber, clothing, paper, dumped munitions, medicines etc.). What is not included Semi-solid remains of for example mineral and vegetable oils, paraffin and chemicals that sometime litter sea and shores. Nanoparticles (No available data and methodology)  Links with other TGs Reports TG 2 (Non-indigenous species): The transportation of non-indigenous species TG 4 (marine food webs): The ingestion by organisms TG 8 (Concentrations of contaminants): Release of toxic compounds

AVERAGE amount of litter in stomachs of fulmars from the north sea Scaled to human size, stomach levels of litter would certainly be considered harmful and immediate action would be taken.

Attributes 1 ) Marine litter in the marine environment 2 ) impacts of litter on marine life 3 ) Degradation of litter at sea  

CRITERIA used for the evaluation of Marine litter 1) Inputs, trends, impacts on aesthetic values, the potential presence of toxic compounds and socio-economical damage   2) litter dynamics, accumulation areas, long term trends 3) Time-trends and spatial variation in inputs and impacts on marine life 4) Degradation of marine litter and potential sources of contaminants

Indicators/ Marine litter 1) Amount, composition and source of litter washed ashore and/or deposited on coastlines   2) Amount, composition and source of litter floating at sea, in the water column and on the sea floor 3) Amount and composition of litter ingested by marine animals 4) Amount, composition and source of microparticles ( 1-5 mm, mainly microplastics)