*3.3.2 Atmospheric input*

It has been speculated that at the global level much less plastic debris is transported by wind than by rivers [38, 39]. However, wind transport of plastic debris may be significant, particularly in coastal areas dominated by strong periodic winds. Wind may be a significant contributor in lightweight debris distribution. During intense storms wind can mobilize debris that would not normally be available for transport and carry it directly into rivers and the sea. Wind-blown litter is likely to be considerable as the Adriatic Sea is characterized by periodically windy shorelines. Atmospheric circulation has been proven to provide an efficient pathway for the transportation of floating microfibers and small plastic particles in the Mediterranean Sea as well as in other areas [33, 40]. Furthermore, some preliminary transport models tailored to the Adriatic oceanographic conditions, considering the contribution of waves and wind in the surface plastic distribution, define the Adriatic Sea as a highly "dissipative" system with respect to floating plastics with a calculated half-life of floating condition of 43.1 days [41, 42]. The authors conclude by pointing out that by construction the Adriatic coastline may be responsible for the main sink of floating plastic debris.
