Study on Plastics Detection Technique using Terra/ASTER Data

In this study, plastic detection technique was developed, applying remote sensing technology as a method to extract plastic wastes, which is one of the big causes of concern contributing to environmental destruction. It is possible to extract areas where plastic (including polypropylene and polyethylene) wastes are prominent, using ASTER data by taking advantage of its absorptive characteristics of ASTER/SWIR bands. The algorithm is applicable to define large industrial wastes disposal sites and areas where plastic greenhouses are concentrated. However, the detection technique with ASTER/SWIR data has some research tasks to be tackled, which includes a partial secretion of reference spectral, depending on some conditions of plastic wastes and a detection error in a region mixed with vegetations and waters. Following results were obtained after making comparisons between several detection methods and plastic wastes in different conditions; (a)'spectral extraction method' was suitable for areas where plastic wastes exist separated from other objects, such as coastal areas where plastic wastes drifted ashore. (single plastic spectral was used as a reference for the 'spectral extraction method') (b)On the other hand, the 'spectral extraction method' was not suitable for sites where plastic wastes are mixed with vegetation and soil. After making comparison of the processing results of a mixed area, it was found that applying both 'separation method' using un-mixing and ‘spectral extraction method’ with NDVI masked is the most appropriate method to extract plastic wastes. Also, we have investigated the possibility of reducing the influence of vegetation and water, using ASTER/TIR, and successfully extracted some places with plastics. As a conclusion, we have summarized the relationship between detection techniques and conditions of plastic wastes and propose the practical application of remote sensing technology to the extraction of plastic wastes.