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Marine litter (ML) is a complex though solvable problem with significant implications for the marine and coastal environment and human activities all around the world. It originates from several sources, travels in many paths and finally sinks in different distances from its origin making its wide spectrum of negative environmental, economic, safety, health and cultural impacts highly considerable. Despite efforts made internationally, regionally and nationally, there are indications that the marine litter problem continues to worsen.

In the frame of the current Project the estimation on contents of nutrients, petroleum hydrocarbons, phenols and heavy metals in water and bottom sediments in the basins of rivers Terek, Sulak and Samur over the last years was carried out. Research was conducted within a framework of the State Monitoring Programme on Roshydromet in the central and lower parts of the Terek delta. The data of Roshydromet standard investigations was used to assess the concentration of pollutants, namely petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, phenols, detergents, nutrients (nitrites, nitrates, ammonium and total nitrogen) and silicates, and also expenditure of river water during the estimation of their flows at hydrological Karagalinsky hydro system and
Alikazgan stations in the Terek delta. The Roshydromet data cover the period 2002-2005.

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan and Caspian Environment Programme by supporting of UNDP agreed with NGO "Ruzgyar" to organize of 1st professional level monitoring of POPs in Kura-Araks basin till Caspian Sea. "Ruzgyar" contracted professional environmental research company "Azecolab" to implement of standard sampling and lab analytical processes.