It is possible to research these questions at another time, but they were beyond the scope of this project:
Biological contamination (algae blooms, leaking septic systems)
How deep microplastics sink into the sediment.
How large is the pollution footprint of a private polystyrene dock? How large is the pollution footprint of a garbage collection point in a back bay?
Is there a difference in the pollution footprint of a dock with polystyrene in plywood versus a modern molded dock?
How many years will a homemade dock that holds polystyrene foam in plywood last, versus a modern molded dock? All it takes is one frost heave over winter to crack the plywood. Once critters get in, they will shred the foam for their nest.
Contamination from gas spills from boat engines.
Forever chemicals (from fire-fighting foam, non-stick pans, stain-resistant upholstery).
Instead, this research focused on microplastics (broken-off bits of larger plastics).