About Deep Dive

Deep Dive is a beach litter analysis platform and data collection system developed for Arctic monitoring. The tool addresses a gap in existing beach litter protocols: while established methods like OSPAR and Ocean Conservancy Protocol provide global and regional trends, they do not reliably identify the specific sources and pathways that deliver litter to shorelines. Deep Dive fills this gap by guiding researchers, students, and community monitors to trace litter origins and understand why items end up on Arctic beaches—information needed for effective local prevention and policy interventions.

The platform provides a self-guided workflow across three phases: pre-sampling preparation, field collection and analysis, and post-analysis reporting. The method uses 10 cubic meters of beach litter as a target sample size, typically requiring three days and two people to complete analysis. Users collect litter directly from beaches, from existing stockpiles, or through partnerships with local waste management programs. The Deep Dive method complements rather than replaces standardized global protocols, positioning it as a supplement for researchers seeking source-attribution data at the local and regional scale.

Key Features of Deep Dive

• Step-by-step guided protocol for pre-dive, during-dive, and post-dive phases, reducing ambiguity in sampling and categorization.
• Source-tracing framework that identifies litter origins and delivery pathways, not just abundance counts or composition.
• Designed for Arctic marine environments and aligned with regional monitoring priorities and stakeholder engagement.
• Free web-based access with no subscription or licensing restrictions; self-guided module suitable for researchers, students, and citizen scientists.
• Emphasis on dialogue with local stakeholders to identify intervention points and prevent litter from entering oceans.

Development and Validation

Deep Dive was created as a complementary method to established beach litter monitoring protocols. The platform is hosted by GRID-Arendal, a UN Environment Programme collaborating centre. The tool was designed to address limitations in global protocols when applied to local and Arctic contexts, where source attribution and prevention-focused insights are needed for policymaking. Source details regarding peer-reviewed validation studies, interlaboratory comparisons, or formal adoption by Arctic monitoring agencies are not available from the primary website documentation. The resource is introduced in the publication: Falk-Andersson (2021). “Beach litter deep dives – A method for improved understanding of sources of and behaviour behind littering.  Marine Pollution Bulletin. 

Access and Data Availability

Deep Dive is accessed freely at https://deepdive.grida.no/. The platform is web-based and includes a self-guided module that walks users through all steps before field sampling. The portal provides detailed instructions for pre-dive preparation, field procedures, and post-dive analysis and reporting. A marine litter database for Arctic countries is integrated into the platform to support data submission and regional trend tracking. Documentation, step-by-step guides, and resource links are hosted on the website. The tool is offered at no cost and is open to researchers, students, and community monitors.

Community and Support

Deep Dive includes a contact mechanism for users and stakeholders. The platform promotes dialogue with local decision-makers, community groups, and waste management programs to support data collection and intervention planning. Documentation and guidance are provided through the self-guided module and step-by-step instructions on the website.

Why This Resource Belongs on Plastiverse

Deep Dive addresses a distinct need in Arctic marine litter monitoring: source attribution and local-scale intervention design. While most marine monitoring tools focus on abundance and composition, Open Litter Map and similar platforms emphasize spatial distribution, Deep Dive uniquely traces where litter originates and why it reaches shores. For researchers combining Deep Dive field data with spectroscopic polymer identification tools like Open Spectroscopy, or integrating results into regional databases like TRADE, this protocol fills a critical methodological gap in the Arctic marine microplastics research workflow.