Plastic pollution is a growing environmental concern, especially in river systems that transport waste from land to sea. The INCA-Macroplastics (Integrated Catchment model of MacroPlastics transport) is the first spatiotemporally explicit model designed to simulate the mobilization and transport of mismanaged plastic waste (MPW) across entire catchments. It is designed to assess macroplastics’ fate and transport in landscapes. The model calculates macroplastic concentrations and fluxes in and across land with different soil types, stream water and riverbanks and sediments at the scale of a river catchment.

INCA-Macroplastics was developed at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) by François Clayer, Magnus Norling and Luca Nizzetto.  The interface presented here have been developed by François Clayer (NIVA). 

This model helps researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders:

  • Estimate macroplastic fluxes from land to river systems 
  • Identify pollution hotspots 
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of waste management strategies 
  • Support evidence-based decision-making for cleaner waterways

The model was first applied to the Imus River catchment in the Philippines (Clayer et al., 2024), one of the most polluted rivers globally, to demonstrate its capabilities in a real-world setting.

By filling in the form below, you can access a demonstration page that offers the possibility of testing and exploring some key features of INCA-Macroplastics. If you are interested in a specific and more advanced use of the model, please contact info@ikhapp.org.