# Requirements Document ## Introduction The Beach Litter Mapping Platform is a web-based application designed to crowdsource environmental data about beach litter and other coastal concerns across Ireland. The system empowers communities to report, visualize, and address environmental issues through interactive mapping, data analytics, and coordinated clean-up events. By providing real-time visibility into coastal pollution patterns, the platform aims to raise awareness, drive community engagement, and support evidence-based environmental action. ## Glossary - **Platform**: The Beach Litter Mapping web application system - **User**: Any person accessing the Platform, including reporters, volunteers, and viewers - **Litter Report**: A user-submitted record documenting observed beach litter or environmental concerns - **Map Interface**: The interactive map component displaying geographical data and litter overlays - **Clean-up Event**: An organized community activity to remove litter from a specific location - **Litter Hotspot**: A geographical area with high concentration of reported litter incidents - **Environmental Concern**: Any coastal pollution or ecological issue beyond physical litter (e.g., water quality, erosion) - **Report Verification**: The process of confirming the accuracy and validity of submitted reports - **Analytics Dashboard**: The interface displaying aggregated statistics and trends about litter data ## Requirements ### Requirement 1: Litter Reporting System **User Story:** As a beach visitor, I want to report litter I observe with photos and location data, so that the community can be aware of pollution issues and take action. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. WHEN a User submits a litter report, THE Platform SHALL capture the geographical coordinates of the report location with accuracy within 10 meters 2. WHEN a User uploads a photograph with EXIF metadata containing GPS coordinates, THE Platform SHALL extract and use those coordinates as the report location 3. WHEN a User uploads a photograph without GPS metadata, THE Platform SHALL prompt the User to provide location through device GPS or manual map selection 4. WHEN a User submits a litter report, THE Platform SHALL accept at least one photograph with minimum resolution of 800x600 pixels 5. WHEN a User uploads a photograph with EXIF metadata containing timestamp, THE Platform SHALL extract and display the original photo capture time 6. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to categorize litter by type (plastic, metal, glass, organic, hazardous, other) 7. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to estimate litter quantity using predefined ranges (minimal, moderate, significant, severe) 8. WHEN a User submits a report, THE Platform SHALL record the submission timestamp in ISO 8601 format ### Requirement 2: Interactive Map Visualization **User Story:** As a community member, I want to view an interactive map showing all reported litter locations, so that I can understand pollution patterns in my area. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL display litter reports as visual markers on an interactive map using free mapping services 2. WHEN a User clicks on a map marker, THE Platform SHALL display the full report details including photos, category, quantity, and timestamp 3. THE Platform SHALL provide map zoom functionality from country-level view to street-level detail 4. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to filter visible reports by date range, litter type, and quantity level 5. WHEN multiple reports exist within 50 meters, THE Platform SHALL cluster markers and display the count of reports in that cluster ### Requirement 3: Litter Hotspot Analysis **User Story:** As an environmental researcher, I want to identify areas with high concentrations of litter reports, so that I can prioritize clean-up efforts and study pollution patterns. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL generate heat map overlays showing litter density across geographical regions 2. WHEN the Platform calculates Litter Hotspots, THE Platform SHALL identify areas with at least 5 reports within a 500-meter radius over the past 30 days 3. THE Platform SHALL rank Litter Hotspots by severity score calculated from report quantity and frequency 4. THE Platform SHALL update Litter Hotspot calculations within 5 minutes of new report submissions 5. THE Platform SHALL display Litter Hotspot boundaries on the Map Interface with color-coded severity indicators ### Requirement 4: Clean-up Event Management **User Story:** As a community organizer, I want to create and manage clean-up events at reported litter locations, so that volunteers can coordinate their efforts effectively. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to create Clean-up Events with specified date, time, location, and description 2. WHEN a User creates a Clean-up Event, THE Platform SHALL display the event marker on the Map Interface 3. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to register their participation in Clean-up Events 4. THE Platform SHALL display the count of registered participants for each Clean-up Event 5. WHEN a Clean-up Event date passes, THE Platform SHALL allow the organizer to mark the event as completed and report the quantity of litter collected ### Requirement 5: Analytics and Reporting Dashboard **User Story:** As an environmental advocate, I want to view statistics and trends about beach litter, so that I can use data to support awareness campaigns and policy recommendations. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL display total count of litter reports aggregated by time period (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) 2. THE Platform SHALL generate charts showing litter distribution by category type 3. THE Platform SHALL calculate and display the total estimated quantity of litter reported across all locations 4. THE Platform SHALL show trends comparing current period data to previous periods with percentage change indicators 5. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to export analytics data in CSV format for external analysis ### Requirement 6: User Authentication and Profiles **User Story:** As a platform user, I want to create an account and track my contributions, so that I can build a history of my environmental impact. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to create accounts using email address and password with minimum 8 characters 2. THE Platform SHALL authenticate Users before allowing report submissions or event creation 3. THE Platform SHALL display a User profile showing their submitted reports count and Clean-up Events attended 4. THE Platform SHALL calculate and display an impact score for each User based on their contributions 5. WHEN a User views their profile, THE Platform SHALL show a map of all their submitted report locations ### Requirement 7: Report Verification and Quality Control **User Story:** As a platform administrator, I want to verify submitted reports to maintain data quality, so that the platform provides reliable information to the community. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL flag reports for review when they lack photographs or location data 2. THE Platform SHALL allow designated Users to mark reports as verified or disputed 3. WHEN a report receives 3 or more dispute flags, THE Platform SHALL hide the report from public view pending review 4. THE Platform SHALL display verification status indicators on report details 5. THE Platform SHALL maintain an audit log of all verification actions with User identifier and timestamp ### Requirement 8: Mobile Responsiveness and Accessibility **User Story:** As a mobile user at the beach, I want to easily report litter from my smartphone, so that I can contribute data while observing environmental issues in real-time. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL render all core functionality on mobile devices with screen widths from 320 pixels to 768 pixels 2. THE Platform SHALL access device GPS capabilities to auto-populate report location coordinates 3. THE Platform SHALL access device camera to capture photos directly within the reporting interface 4. THE Platform SHALL maintain touch-friendly interface elements with minimum tap target size of 44x44 pixels 5. THE Platform SHALL load the Map Interface within 3 seconds on mobile networks with 4G connectivity ### Requirement 9: Environmental Data Integration **User Story:** As a scientist, I want to correlate litter data with other environmental factors, so that I can conduct comprehensive coastal health assessments. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to report additional Environmental Concerns beyond physical litter (water quality, wildlife impact, coastal erosion) 2. THE Platform SHALL categorize Environmental Concerns using standardized taxonomy 3. THE Platform SHALL display Environmental Concern reports as distinct markers on the Map Interface 4. THE Platform SHALL link related reports when they reference the same geographical area within 100 meters 5. THE Platform SHALL provide API endpoints to export environmental data in JSON format for integration with research tools ### Requirement 10: Notification and Engagement System **User Story:** As an active volunteer, I want to receive notifications about new reports and events in my area, so that I can respond quickly to environmental issues. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to define geographical areas of interest with radius between 1 and 50 kilometers 2. WHEN a new Litter Report is submitted within a User's area of interest, THE Platform SHALL send a notification to that User within 10 minutes 3. WHEN a new Clean-up Event is created within a User's area of interest, THE Platform SHALL send a notification to that User within 10 minutes 4. THE Platform SHALL allow Users to configure notification preferences for report types and event categories 5. THE Platform SHALL deliver notifications through in-app alerts and email messages based on User preferences ### Requirement 11: External Environmental Data Integration **User Story:** As a researcher, I want to view contextual environmental data alongside litter reports, so that I can understand the broader ecological conditions affecting coastal areas. #### Acceptance Criteria 1. THE Platform SHALL integrate weather data from public APIs to display current conditions and forecasts for reported locations 2. THE Platform SHALL retrieve tide information from public APIs to show tide times and heights for coastal locations 3. THE Platform SHALL integrate water quality data from Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) public datasets where available 4. WHEN a User views a report location, THE Platform SHALL display relevant environmental context data within 2 seconds 5. THE Platform SHALL cache external API data for up to 6 hours to minimize API calls and improve performance 6. THE Platform SHALL integrate beach quality ratings from EU Blue Flag or similar public databases for Irish beaches 7. THE Platform SHALL display marine biodiversity information from public databases when available for the report location