Urban marginal ruderal areas as hotspots for illegal waste dumping
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26485/AGL/2026/119/2Keywords:
illegal dumping, ruderal vegetation, waste management, geospatial analysis, ŁódźAbstract
Illegal dumping is a persistent environmental issue in urban areas, yet the spatial factors driving the location of dump
sites remain poorly understood. The study introduces the concept of the urban marginal ruderal area—a space characterised by
proximity to marginal roads, adjacency to buildings of varying land-use classes, and ruderal vegetation indicative of advanced
plant succession. These accessible yet seemingly disorganised areas are particularly susceptible to illegal waste disposal. Data
on dump sites in Łódź, Poland, were collected through field surveys, Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI), and UAV
(drone) surveys. Using a predictive model, we produced a map identifying hotspots of potential waste accumulation within the
city. The results confirm that such zones are widespread throughout the target research area. However, preliminary findings
suggest that the precise location of dumps within these zones may be governed not solely by geographical factors but also by
social ones, warranting further investigation. Accordingly, a dedicated section of this work addresses the susceptibility of urban
spaces to littering by supplementing the geospatial modelling with a discussion of possible sociological interpretations of the
phenomenon under study.
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