Seasonal dynamics of marine litter along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast

Exploring cigarette butts pollution in Saint Martin Island: A marine protected area

Saint Martin Island (SMI), the only coral island in Bangladesh, is located in the Bay of Bengal and has been identified as a marine protected area (MPA). Littering cigarette butts (CBs) waste in an ecologically sensitive environment can have numerous adverse effects. The purpose of this research is to investigate the abundance and density of CBs in SMI and to assess the pollution status using the Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI). This study is conducted based on the visual survey method in the three types of land use zones of SMI. During the peak season, the investigation was carried out from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in December 2023. A total of 4481 CBs item were counted, and the density ranged from 0.37 to 1.76 m-2 with an average value of 0.99 m-2 across 12 sampling campaigns. The highest density was observed at service zones, and the fishing zones had the lowest density. The calculated CBPI values revealed that 75 % of the sampling stations were in the "severe pollution" while 25 % were classified as "high pollution" status, underscoring the prevalence of hazardous CBs across most areas of SMI. To tackle these issues requires regulatory measures, public awareness initiatives, and community involvement. Effective waste management and eco-friendly product promotion can help reduce CBs pollution risks in marine protected islands.

Plastic pollution on Moroccan beaches: Toward baselines for large-scale assessment

In Africa, Morocco is the 10th largest producer of plastic. The severity of this plastic has attracted increasing amounts of attention in the Moroccan Atlantic and Mediterranean in recent years. However, at the national level, there is limited knowledge of plastic pollution. To obtain an exhaustive and comprehensive evaluation of plastic pollution levels in Morocco, large-scale monitoring is needed on all the coasts of the country. In this context, this paper examined the composition, abundance, distribution, source and quality of beaches on two Moroccan coasts using four beach quality indices along 29 beaches. During two seasons, a total of 72,105 items were counted. The mean litter abundance was 0.31 items/m2, and the Mediterranean beaches were more dense than the Atlantic beaches. In particular, litter density was greater in spring (0.35 items/m2) than in summer (0.29 items/m2). The data indicate considerable differences in the density of marine debris according to the seasonality, beach typology and presence of rivers. Hazardous litter items were collected along both Moroccan coasts, constituting 8.41 % of the total collected items, with a mean of 0.026 items/m2. The use of environmental indices allowed us to classify Moroccan beaches as "moderate cleanliness", "moderate abundance" of plastics, "moderately safe" presence of hazardous litter and "mediocre" environmental status. The findings of the present study indicate that the sources of litter on both Moroccan coasts come mainly from recreational activities and dumping. The waste management practices recommended for Moroccan beaches include reducing sources, mitigating mitigation measures and changing littering behavior.

Assessment of beach macrolitter using unmanned aerial systems: A study along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast

Over the years, the Black Sea has been impacted by the issue of marine litter, which poses ecological and health threats. A mid-term monitoring program initiated in 2018 assessed the abundance, density, and composition of beach litter (BL) on 40 frequently visited beaches. From 2018 to 2022, there was a significant increase in average abundance, rising by 261 %. Artificial polymer materials accounted for the majority (84 %) of the litter. Land-based sources dominated 77 % of the litter. The Clean Coast Index (CCI) categorized the beaches as "moderate" with an average value of 8.9 for the period between 2018 and 2022. However, the years 2021 and 2022, during the COVID-19 epidemic, were identified as the "dirtiest period" with 11 beaches classified as "extremely dirty" due to high domestic tourist pressure. The study demonstrates a successful combination of standard in situ visual assessment supported by unmanned aerial systems for beach litter surveys.

Cigarette butt pollution in popular beaches of Morocco: Abundance, distribution, and mitigation measures

Cigarette butts pose a significant challenge in managing solid litter, with an estimated 4.5 trillion of them being discarded into the environment annually. This study investigated the pollution of eleven beaches along the Moroccan Mediterranean by cigarette butts compared to other types of marine litter between 2018 and 2023. Sampling was conducted using the visual survey technique according to a standardized protocol. A total of 50, 575 items were collected with cigarette butts (14.62 %) and plastic caps/lids drinks (10.93 %) being the most common. Our survey of eleven beaches revealed 7395 cigarette butts, giving an average density of 0.06/m2 comparable to other countries in the Mediterranean. The analysis of the results shows significant differences in the abundance cigarette butts according to the beach typology, seasonality, sediment type, and number of beach users. Moreover, the study discovered a decrease in beach pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, resulting in less litter collected compared to pre- and post-pandemic periods. The Cigarette Butt Pollution Index was categorized as very low pollution in M'diq and Kaa Asrass, low pollution in Ksar Sghir, Fnideq, Amsa, Oued Laou, significant pollution in Martil and Nador and sever pollution in Saidia and Sababia. The CBPI was higher during summer and winter, significantly associated with the density levels of beach users. The study recommends immediate action by the local administration to prevent the potential pollution of groundwater and sand by toxic substances leached from cigarette butts.

Assessing marine macrolitter on the coastline of the Asterousia Biosphere Reserve: Insights from a community-based study

Even in pristine and remote environments of the Mediterranean, marine litter is building up threatening habitats and species and inhibiting sustainable development. The present study reports the findings of beach litter surveys carried out by 250 local community members in nine sites along the coastline of the Asterousia Biosphere Reserve, situated in the southernmost end of Europe. The average recorded litter density along these sites amounted to 125 items per 100 meters of coastline (range: 22-510) and to 0.05 items per square meter of beach (range: 0.01-0.13). Only two of the nine surveyed beaches were found to be in good environmental status, in compliance with the European threshold value for beach litter. The other seven studied beaches surpassed the European threshold value. The primary sources of the litter identified in the study can be attributed to unsustainable practices and inadequate waste management by individuals, communities and municipalities using the coastal and marine environment. Additionally, unsustainable waste management practices within the agricultural sector were also found to be a significant contributor to marine litter pollution.

Spatio-temporal distribution of cigarette butt contamination in urban beaches with varying levels of use

This study assessed the extent of cigarette butt contamination on two urban beaches in Recife-PE (Pernambuco State, Brazil) with varying levels of use. The study considered degradation levels and evaluated whether the brands varied by time, space, and beaches use. Ten transects (1.5 m wide) and spaced 10 m apart, were delimited on the beaches investigated. Twelve collections were made between May 2021 and January 2022, and the collected cigarette butts were evaluated based on degradation level, mass, size, and brand. In total, 10,275 cigarette butts were collected on both beaches, with P1 accounting for 96.91% of the found cigarette butts. The density of cigarette butts on the beaches was directly proportional to the level of use, with 8.85 butts/m2 in P1 and 1.05 butts/m2 in P2. Eighteen brands were identified, with brand (A) being the most popular regardless of the area. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were found when evaluating the amount of butts/m2; Sundays with high precipitation presented reduced values of butts; more occupied areas presented transects with higher amounts; abundance in the summer; morphometry with higher values recorded in newly discarded butts; predominance of more degraded butts and brand diversity. Despite the difference in the number of butts/m2 between the areas, it was possible to identify that their abundance is very expressive, and that the monitored beaches present a high exposure to the contaminant.

Rocky reef incursions: challenges faced by reef fishes in a Brazilian Hope Spot region

Biodiversity conservation has been a critical challenge faced by environmental managers worldwide. From 2020 to 2022, a total of 576 underwater visual censuses focused on reef fishes, marine litter (ML), and non-native species were performed in the newest Brazilian Hope Spot, to understand the distribution, characteristics, and effects of ML and Tubastraea spp., on the reef fish community. Plastic was the main category recorded (34.54 %), followed by Metal and Line (mostly fishing gear within a Marine Protected Area). Tubastraea spp. was widely distributed, especially between 10-20 meters deep. The t-test analysis showed that fish abundance and richness were significantly higher at low Tubastraea cover areas. Our efforts present the baseline of ML (mean 1.92 ± 1.5 items/100 m2) and non-native species occurrence (15) and distribution (including three new records) showing their negative impacts on rocky reef ecosystems and provide managers support in the elaboration of marine conservation strategies.

From source to sink: A comparative study of streamside and beach litter in the Black Sea

The increasing amount of marine litter pollution and its impact on the marine environment raises global concern. This study aims to reveal the effect of streams on marine litter density and composition. A total of ten stations on the southeastern Black Sea and six stations on the Manahoz stream were seasonally surveyed. The litter density ranged between 0.838 ± 0.33 and 4.01 ± 0.55 items/m² in the beach stations, and 0.93 ± 0.27 2.40 ± 2.18 items/m² in the streamside stations. No significant difference was determined among the seasons for both beach and streamside (Kruskal-Wallis test, p > 0.05). On the other hand, the litter density was also similar in beach and streamside stations in the same season. The litter composition consisted of > 75% plastic. Principal component analysis and PERMANOVA determined no significant difference in litter composition among beach and streamside stations. The litter items mostly consisted of single-use items. Among them, plastic beverage containers were the most abundant litter subcategory during the study (ranging between 18.79% and 34.50%). The subcategory composition exhibited a significant difference among beach and streamside stations (ANOSIM, p < 0.05), which was mainly explained by plastic pieces, beverage containers, and foams according to SIMPER analysis. Personal protection equipment that was not reported before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. The results of our study can be used for marine litter modeling studies and legislation for restriction or ban of most abundant single-use litter items.

Clean environment index: A new approach for litter assessment

Littered waste is one of the ubiquitous problems in urban environments. In this study, urban environmental pollution was evaluated for the first time using a new developed index. The findings indicated that cigarette butts with an average 58% are the largest share in the composition of littered waste. In addition, the numbers of littered wastes throughout the study area had a spatial variation. According to clean environment index (CEI), the entire study area was found to be in a moderate status. However, 40% of the study areas were classified in a dirty and extremely dirty status. Comparison of the studied urban land-uses showed that residential land use with CEI equal to 3.38 is interpreted in the clean status, while commercial land use with CEI equal to 15.05 can be classified in the dirty status. The application of CEI has a good capability to assess littered waste; this index can be employed to evaluate the pollution of urban sidewalks and other environments such as beaches.

Dunal plants intercepting macrolitter: Implications for beach clean-ups

Coastal vegetation intercepts macroplastics and, consequently, it may represent a reservoir of anthropogenic litter and organic wrack. We aimed at investigating (i) the abundance variation of macrolitter from the beach to foredune and backdune (three cross-shore plots over 20 long-shore sectors) and (ii) the role of the halo-psammophilous plants and Phragmites australis reedbed in intercepting the macrolitter, respectively, in the foredunes and backdunes. The vegetation in the foredunes (mainly halo-psammophilous species) acted as a first interception belt for macrolitter, while the bigger litter reached the backdunes. Our results might be of great concern with implications for beach clean-ups - which must also be mainly focused in foredunes and backdunes, however warning operators in advance that they could damage the vegetation by trampling on.

Beach litter contamination of the Turkish middle Black Sea coasts: Spatial and temporal variation, composition, and possible sources

Marine litter is one of the biggest environmental problems nowadays. Sinop, is located in the heart of Türkiye's Black Sea coast, has a small population, and is a popular fishing and tourist destination. In this study, marine litter amount, composition, and possible sources were investigated, and seasonal comparisons were made between in Sinop beaches. Marine litter amount was found as 0.29-7.67 items·m^-2 and 3.46-49.09 g·m^-2 and beaches were classified as moderate to extremely dirty. Plastics were the highest ratio (88.14-98.46 %) and "plastic pieces 2.5> <50 cm" were the major litter type. The major possible litter source was improper waste disposal (33.36 %) and litter items originated from mainly land-based sources (74.13 %). The result of this study shows that there is a significant litter problem on the coasts. The solution of this problem can be possible to take rational measures against marine litter pollution with education and management policies.

A New Monitoring Strategy of Large Micro-, Meso- and Macro-Litter: A Case Study on Sandy Beaches of Baltic Lagoons and Estuaries

Coastal lagoons and estuaries are hot spots to accumulate river basin-related plastic leakage. However, no official methodology exists to investigate their relatively short, rich in organic matter beaches, and the knowledge of pollution of lagoons is scarce worldwide. This study aimed to develop a methodology suitable for large micro (2-5 mm), meso (5-25 mm), and macro-litter (>25 mm) monitoring at sandy inner-coastal waters that would provide comparable results to the intensively used OSPAR 100 m method. The method proposed in this study is based on two 40 m² rectangular polygons placed on the tidal accumulation zone for macro-litter enumeration and two 1 m² squares for micro- and meso-litter. This method has been applied to 23 beaches from three inner-coastal waters of the Baltic Sea. This study shows that the litter densities between lagoons and bays differ and depend on the river output intensity and the retention capacity. The "Construction material", "Plastic pieces 2-5 mm", and "Plastic pieces 5-25 mm" were among this study's top ten most common litter items. Experts allocated these items to the "Land based industry and trade" source, which indicates that lagoons and bays through the connection of the major rivers could be a potential sink of land-based litter. An evident strength of the methodology established is the capability to determine litter of all sizes, low-cost and time-efficiency, implementable for volunteer-based monitoring; provides comparable results to the most commonly used methods for investigating litter pollution on coastal beaches.

Addressing the challenge of marine plastic litter in the Moroccan Mediterranean: A citizen science project with schoolchildren

In this study, based on data collected by citizen science, we studied the abundance, spatial and temporal distribution of marine litter in three beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean. A total of 14,042 litter items were collected with an average abundance of 0.58 items/m². The most of litter were composed of anthropic polymeric materials, representing 74 % of the total litter collected. Plastics account for the majority of the items collected and are mainly caps/lids, crisp/sweet packets, plastic/polystyrene, cigarette butts and small plastic bags. Litter abundance displayed significant seasonal differences, with the highest during summer. Tourism and poor waste management practices are the major sources of plastic on the beaches surveyed. The use of the Clean Coast Index (CCI) and the Plastics Abundance Index (PAI) permits the classification of the three beaches in the Moroccan Mediterranean as a "moderately clean" coastal area with a "very high abundance" of plastics. In addition, the Hazardous Items Index (HII) allows classification of the region as highly polluted by hazardous litter. Best management measures are needed to promote the environmental quality of the beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean.

Abundance and composition of marine litter on the coasts of the Dardanelles (Canakkale Strait, Turkey)

The amount of human-origin litter in sea surface water, sediment, and beaches has been increasing for decades. Initially described in marine coastal systems in the 1960s, marine litter (ML) is nowadays commonly observed in all marine systems. There is even a gigantic island consisting of garbage in the gyre area of the Atlantic Ocean. In relation to this significant problem, ML was collected from seven stations on beaches along the Dardanelles for the first time in the period May 2017-May 2018 and was seasonally and regionally analyzed in terms of densities and weights. ML was categorized by material type (plastic, rubber, paper, etc.) and field of use (mixed packaging wastes, personal use products, fishing wastes, etc.). Total numbers and weights of ML during the study were 5751 items and 115.7 kg in an area of 15,980 m², respectively. Density and weight of ML ranged from 0.050 to 1.182 items/m² and from 0.446 to 78.46 g/m², respectively. The main ML component was plastic items in terms of both density (90.95%) and weight (53.76%) according to material type. Additionally, mixed packaging wastes (MPW) were the most common ML items in terms of density (82.14%) and weight (49.38%) according to usage. According to the clean-coast index, while Kilya (St.2) and Kepez (St.5) beaches were dirty, Seddulbahir (St.1) beach was clean. The beaches in other stations were neither dirty nor clean (medium) according to the index. At the end of the study, suggestions for a regional strategy were made.

Solid waste composition and COVID-19-induced changes in an inland water ecosystem in Turkey

The composition and abundance of solid waste and the effect of COVID-19 measures were studied in an inland water ecosystem in Turkey. Solid waste items were collected annually for 5 years from 2017 to 2021 from seven stations located in Borçka Dam Lake (B1-B4) and Murgul Stream (M1-M3) in the Artvin Province. The highest densities by number and weight were recorded at M3 in 2020 (5.72 items/m²) and M1 in 2020 (0.39 kg/m²), respectively. However, no significant difference in density was recorded (p < 0.05) between the years. Plastic was the most abundant waste material by number of items in all the stations with a percentage contribution varying between 25.47 and 88.89%. There was a considerable increase in medical items during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and ANOSIM results revealed visually and statistically significant differences in solid waste composition between the years and stations. The dissimilarity between the years was driven by plastic and medical waste. The main sources of solid waste were river transportation (22.93%), improper disposal (20.74%), aquaculture activities (16.42%), and recreational and tourism activities (14.72%). The results of our study can be a baseline for transportation models, local administrations, and non-governmental organizations. Besides, the current waste management measures in Turkey are not effective in preventing waste accumulation in inland aquatic systems such as the Borçka Dam Lake and Murgul Stream. Furthermore, these findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced solid waste composition and increased its abundance in the study area.

Solid waste composition and COVID-19-induced changes in an inland water ecosystem in Turkey

The composition and abundance of solid waste and the effect of COVID-19 measures were studied in an inland water ecosystem in Turkey. Solid waste items were collected annually for 5 years from 2017 to 2021 from seven stations located in Borçka Dam Lake (B1-B4) and Murgul Stream (M1-M3) in the Artvin Province. The highest densities by number and weight were recorded at M3 in 2020 (5.72 items/m²) and M1 in 2020 (0.39 kg/m²), respectively. However, no significant difference in density was recorded (p < 0.05) between the years. Plastic was the most abundant waste material by number of items in all the stations with a percentage contribution varying between 25.47 and 88.89%. There was a considerable increase in medical items during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and ANOSIM results revealed visually and statistically significant differences in solid waste composition between the years and stations. The dissimilarity between the years was driven by plastic and medical waste. The main sources of solid waste were river transportation (22.93%), improper disposal (20.74%), aquaculture activities (16.42%), and recreational and tourism activities (14.72%). The results of our study can be a baseline for transportation models, local administrations, and non-governmental organizations. Besides, the current waste management measures in Turkey are not effective in preventing waste accumulation in inland aquatic systems such as the Borçka Dam Lake and Murgul Stream. Furthermore, these findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced solid waste composition and increased its abundance in the study area.

Cigarette butts as a super challenge in solid waste management: a review of current knowledge

Filtered cigarette is the most common type of tobacco used and cigarette butt is the most important environmental consequence of smoking. This study aimed to investigate the cigarette butt management and identify future needs to improve the current situation. The results showed that cigarette butts are the most abundant and widespread hazardous waste in the world. The current form of cigarette butt management has inferior performance that faced waste management systems with serious challenges. The results showed that reducing the littering rate and recycling are known as basic strategies in the management of this hazardous waste. Future studies should focus on reducing cigarette butt pollution and the amount of pollutant leakage from them.

Spatio-temporal variations of litter on Qingdao tourist beaches in China

Beaches are an integral part of coastal tourism, but they are deteriorated by the beachgoers and recreational activities due to lack of adequate beach environmental awareness and management. Litter is widely distributed in marine and coastal environment and has been considered a severe concern. In China investigations to determine the beach litter abundance and pollution level are limited. The aim of this study is to estimate spatio-temporal distribution and composition of litter on 10 well-known Qingdao tourist beaches, involving pollution level by beach quality indexes. Beach litter was collected within an area of 25 × 25 m² in both summer (May, June and July) and winter (Nov, Dec and Jan) seasons, and was classified into eight categories. The abundance of beach litter was found higher in summer (0.13 ± 0.04 items/m²) than in winter (0.04 ± 0.01 items/m²). Overall, the percentage of plastics were higher in both summer (23.48%) and winter (24.04%) than that of other litter categories. Based on Clean Coast Index, 70% of beaches were very clean, 25% clean, and 5% moderately clean. Beach Grade Index showed that 15% beaches were very good, 5% good, 55% fair, and 25% poor. 85% beaches constituted some quantity of hazardous litter and 15% had no hazardous litter for Hazardous Items index. The findings suggest that the sources of beach litter along Qingdao beaches mainly come from the recreational and tourist activities. The substantial quantity of litter is also being transported by ocean (tides or current), which are finally deposited along beachfront. Despite regular cleaning operation along most of Qingdao beaches, suggested management practices involve mitigation measures, source reduction, change in littering behavior to improve further quality of beaches.

Quantity and type of coastal debris pollution in Taiwan: A rapid assessment with trained citizen scientists using a visual estimation method

Ongoing monitoring of the distribution and composition of coastal debris is a prerequisite for efficient management and cleanups. Therefore, we conducted a rapid assessment of coastal debris along the 1210 km coastline of Taiwan using a visual estimation method. Forty-nine citizen scientists were intensively trained to correctly identify the volume and types of debris. At 121 sampling locations randomly placed along Taiwan's coastline, the citizen scientists recorded the pollution level and the three most abundant debris types within a 100-m transect during four surveys in 2018-2019. Averaging over the four surveys, the mean amount of coastal debris was estimated to be 406.6 kg/km, and the three most abundant debris types were plastic bottles, foamed plastics, and fishing nets and ropes. Using a statistical test which avoids spatial pseudoreplication, we showed that north-facing coastlines had significantly higher pollution levels than the other coastlines, which we suggest is deposited there during strong winter winds. We also showed that fishery-related debris was a much more important part of coastal debris when the volume of it was determined instead of just the number of items. Mean pollution levels were further associated with wind speed, coastline type, and the distance to presumed pollution sources. Our results compare well with similar surveys conducted in Japan and South Korea. In each country, the debris was highly aggregated, which means it was concentrated in a few highly polluted localities. Therefore, the visual estimation method can effectively guide cleanup efforts to the most polluted areas and also reliably generate long-term monitoring data.

Ingestion of microplastics by commercial fish species from the southern Black Sea coast

Microplastic (MP) contamination is a serious threat to today's marine life. Therefore, this study investigates MP ingestion in three commercial fish species (European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus, whiting Merlangius merlangus, and red mullet Mullus barbatus) from the Turkish coast of the Black Sea. Ninety-five MPs were detected in all examined fish (371). Fiber forms were detected in the majority of cases based on the MP morphology. Polyethylene and polypropylene were the most dominant polymer type. The mean of ingested MPs was found as 0.15 ± 0.04, 0.28 ± 0.06, 0.40 ± 0.07 in anchovy, whiting and red mullet, respectively. The size of the MPs ranged from 118 μm and 4854 μm. The MP waste was detected in each species, and the highest MP amount was determined in the red mullet, which was significantly higher than European anchovy. The present study's data might be a baseline on the ecological risk assessment of MPs in the fish and future experimental studies on the fish species living in the Black Sea.

Microplastic ingestion and egestion by copepods in the Black Sea

Ingestion and egestion of microplastics by copepods in the Black Sea was assessed for the first time. Composition and concentration of microplastics in the water column was also evaluated. Samples were collected from three stations (river mouth, coastal and open water) in the Southeastern Black Sea over the course of one year. Microplastic concentration in the water column ranged between 0.12 and 7.62 mp·m^-3 (mean 2.04 ± 1.05 mp·m^-3) with significantly higher concentrations in the river mouth. The most common types of microplastics were fibres, followed by films and fragments. A total of 11 colours of microplastics were found, being blue the most common colour. Analysis of 1126 C. euxinus and 1065 A. clausi, resulted in 26 and 9 microplastics being detected, respectively. This resulted in a microplastic ingestion of 0.024 ± 0.020 mp. Calanus^-1 and 0.008 ± 0.006 mp. Acartia^-1. Analysis of 351 faecal pellets, resulted 4 microplastics being found. The average size of ingested microplastics was greater in C. euxinus (0.100 mm ± 0.153 mm) than in A. clausi (0.062 mm ± 0.056 mm). Size of ingested microplastics was in the size range of natural preys of these copepods. Fragments were the most common type of ingested microplastics, followed by films and fibres. The colour of ingested particles was black, blue and red. Our results show that the copepods and the pelagic environment of the Black Sea are contaminated by microplastics. Critical functions of zooplankton in this degraded ecosystem are under risk and zooplankton are likely to act as a vector for the transfer of microplastics and associated toxic chemicals to upper trophic levels including humans in the Black Sea.

Microplastic contamination and characteristics spatially vary in the southern Black Sea beach sediment and sea surface water

In this study, the abundance, and characteristics of the microplastics on the southern coast of the Black Sea were assessed. More than 70% of the detected microplastics were smaller than 2.5 mm and mostly consisted of fibers and fragments. The average microplastic abundance in the beach sediment and seawater were 64.06 ± 8.95 particles/kg and 18.68 ± 3.01 particles/m³, respectively. The western coast of the study area (Marmara region) was the most polluted area, and a spatially significant difference was determined in terms of abundance. The composition in the beach sediment (particles/kg) was dominated by styrene acrylonitrile copolymer (SAC) (40.53%), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (38.75%), and polyethylene (PE) (6.91%), whereas the seawater (particles/m³) was dominated by PET (57.26%), PE (13.52%), and polypropylene PP (11.24%). The results of our study can be a baseline for environmental modeling studies and experimental studies on the marine organisms inhabiting the Black Sea.

Composition, sources, abundance and seasonality of Marine Litter in the Çakalburnu lagoon coast of Aegean Sea

The Aegean Sea is one of the most contaminated by marine litter (ML) in the World. In this study, the Turkish Aegean Region was evaluated in light of the sources, abundance and composition of ML along Çakalburnu Lagoon coast. Macroscopic ML with > 3 cm was collected and separated into composition and sources categories. ML abundance was calculated by its density in items/m² (Mean ± SD). Beach cleanliness was evaluated according to Clean-Coast Index (CCI). Seasonality was found as factor for ML composition, sources and abundance at Çakalburnu coast. Plastic was the most abundant material, followed by unidentifiable items. The major sources of ML were mixed packaging, domestic and fisheries activities. The mean ML density was 0.64 ± 0.09 items/m². Çakalburnu coast was classified as dirty during all seasons. Therefore, ML contamination on Çakalburnu coast represent a potential threat to coastal and marine environments. Thus, the present study can serve as a base for the elaboration of mitigating actions urgently needed at Çakalburnu Lagoon.

Sources of marine litter along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast: Identification, scoring and contribution

The sources of marine litter (ML) pollution along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast in 2019 were identified and categorized to: Public litter, Fishing, Shipping, Sanitary and sewage, Fly tipped, Medical and Non-sourced, following Veiga et al., 2016 approach. Largest was the contribution of Public litter - 48.3% and Non-sourced - 38.5% of the total. Most Public litter items were attributed to recreational activities - 82.9% Public litter Recreation and less to Public litter Smoking-related - 17.1%. Regarding to Non-sourced, the following sub-categories seemed to contribute clearly more: Land (run off) - 8.79% and Tourism beach users - 8.58%. Considerably lower was the contribution of Fishing, Offshore and Shipping. None of the items were attributed to Sewage related. The ML pollution on the individual beaches (10 sites) exhibited largest contribution of Public litter with most significant input of Public litter Recreation, varying from 65.9 to 86.7% between beaches.

UAV Approach for Detecting Plastic Marine Debris on the Beach: A Case Study in the Po River Delta (Italy)

Anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) represent a global threat for aquatic environments. It is important to locate and monitor the distribution and presence of macroplastics along beaches to prevent degradation into microplastics (MP), which are potentially more harmful and more difficult to remove. UAV imaging represents a quick method for acquiring pictures with a ground spatial resolution of a few centimeters. In this work, we investigate strategies for AMD mapping on beaches with different ground resolutions and with elevation and multispectral data in support of RGB orthomosaics. Operators with varying levels of expertise and knowledge of the coastal environment map the AMD on four to five transects manually, using a range of photogrammetric tools. The initial survey was repeated after one year; in both surveys, beach litter was collected and further analyzed in the laboratory. Operators assign three levels of confidence when recognizing and describing AMD. Preliminary validation of results shows that items identified with high confidence were almost always classified properly. Approaching the detected items in terms of surface instead of a simple count increased the percentage of mapped litter significantly when compared to those collected. Multispectral data in near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths and digital surface models (DSMs) did not significantly improve the efficiency of manual mapping, even if vegetation features were removed using NDVI maps. In conclusion, this research shows that a good solution for performing beach AMD mapping can be represented by using RGB imagery with a spatial resolution of about 200 pix/m for detecting macroplastics and, in particular, focusing on the largest items. From the point of view of assessing and monitoring potential sources of MP, this approach is not only feasible but also quick, practical, and sustainable.

Cigarette butts in beach litter: Snapshot of a summer holiday

Cigarette butts are considered the most common form of personal litter around the world. It is estimated that 5.5 trillion cigarettes are consumed globally each year and that 4.95 trillion are discarded in some natural or anthropic environment around the world. This study evaluated the pollution of urban beaches in the Brazilian Northeast by cigarette butts in relation to other types of litter. Samplings were conducted in a month of high season (January 2016), at eight heavily used beaches. In the place with the highest concentration of users in each beach, a 200 m transect (3 m width) was established parallel to the water on the most recent strandline. All items >1 cm were counted and classified into categories according to composition (plastic, cigarette butts, wood, glass, metal, paper and organic, such as food leftovers and coconuts) using a standard worksheet. Cigarette butts were considered as an isolated category of litter. A total of 10,880 items was registered. The most abundant items were plastics (44.96%) and cigarette butts (38.36%). Among plastics, the most abundant items were straws, metallic food packaging, sticks (lollipop and popsicle) and cups. Plastic fragments were also abundant in all beaches evaluated, corresponding to 14.5% of the total plastics.

Abundance and Temporal Distribution of Beach Litter on the Coast of Ceuta (North Africa, Gibraltar Strait)

Twelve beaches located in Ceuta (Spain) were studied from February to April 2019 to assess litter amounts (expressed as number of items), categories and temporal distribution. At each beach, three surveys were conducted, i.e., one per month (i.e., 36 in total). Selected beaches covered urban (7), rural (2) and remote (3) bathing areas. Plastic represented the dominant material, i.e., 35.2% of all debris, followed by glass (18.2%), pottery/ceramics (14.6%), wood (11.4%), metal (11.4%), paper/cardboard (4.8%), cloth (3.5%), rubber (0.7%), organic (0.3%) and other materials (0.1%). The Clean Coast Index was calculated to classify beaches in five categories for evaluating the cleanliness level of the coast observed at each survey: “Very Clean” (7 surveys), “Clean” (10), “Moderately Dirty” (8), “Dirty” (2) and “Extremely Dirty” (9). Litter occurrence was assessed by the Litter Grade methodology, which allowed to classify beaches in four grades: “A”: very good (0); “B”: good (4); “C”: fair (7); and “D”: poor (25). In a few surveys, some beaches were considered “good”, but their management should not be ignored because in other surveys those beaches reached fair and poor scores. Several potentially harmful litter items were related to beach users. Severe eastern storms removed litter at many of the beaches investigated and favored accumulation at others. Data analysis shows significant differences in litter abundance with respect to site, beach typology and the presence of cleaning operations but no important differences between the studied months. Rural beaches recorded the most litter, followed by urban and remote beaches. All beaches require immediate and more appropriate management actions to improve their environmental status.

What remains on the beach after tourists leave? The case of Abaís beach (Sergipe, Brazil)

The study evaluated the characteristics of marine litter disposed of by tourists on the Abaís beach (state of Sergipe, Brazil), during the dry (December/2017, January/2018, and February/2018) and rainy (May/2018, June/2018, and July/2018) months. Litter was collected on a Sunday of each month after the tourists left. The values of abundance (9.71 ± 2.03 items/m), weight (21.07 ± 16.04 g/m), volume (0.58 ± 0.25 L/m), richness (33 litter groups) and plastic percentage (75.07 ± 4.81%) were higher in the dry months compared to the rainy ones (2.01 ± 2.80 items/m; 5.08 ± 6.01 g/m; 0.17 ± 0.16 L/m; 22 litter groups; and 68.62 ± 5.98% of plastic, respectively). Considering the tourist importance of the Abaís beach to Sergipe state, it is crucial to develop effective cleaning actions, environmental awareness campaigns for tourists, residents and traders, as well as to establish restrictive public legal instruments to promote reduction, reuse, and recycling of the marine litter.

Records of marine litter contamination in tropical beaches (Sergipe, Brazil) with different uses

This study aimed to develop a first diagnostic of marine litter presence over four sandy beaches located on the southern coast of Sergipe, a Brazilian state, by means of four samplings, from December 2017 to September 2018. There was no distinction between village, semi-rural, and rural areas regarding litter presence. Plastic was the most abundant litter (> 70%), mainly represented by the items such as food packaging, cups, straws, cigarette butts, lids/seals, as well as fragments and monofilaments. The abundance of items collected ranged from 0.1 and 9.2 items.m^-1, and the beaches were characterized from very clean to dirty. The main sources were from tourism/recreation (42.7 ± 4.8%), followed by Unidentified (34.1 ± 6.7%), and Fishing/Marine activities (16.1 ± 6.3%). In addition, we highlight the importance of the correct litter management, environmental education activities, and marine litter monitoring program in order to reduce marine litter contamination.

First report of quantification and classification of buried litter on the public beaches around the Sea of Marmara, Turkey

The distribution and abundance of buried litter on seventeen public beaches around the Sea of Marmara were investigated in the period of 12-28 August 2018. The mean weight of total litter was found to be 73 mg/m² and the mean number of pieces was found to be 66.2/m². Most of the litter on the public beaches originated from the tourism activities and plastic was the most common litter which accounted for 48.07% and 76% of the total items in terms of weight and number respectively. The abundance of debris by the total number of items was higher in Istanbul Kumburgaz beach (130.6 items/m²) followed by Istanbul Menekşe beach (117 items/m²). Balıkesir Erdek beach stood out with the least litter (25.3 items/m²). Considering the findings of the study as a potentially useful baseline for this region with a limited literature, stands out as the originality of the study.

A Survey of Marine Coastal Litters around Zhoushan Island, China and Their Impacts

Rapid development of the economy increased marine litter around Zhoushan Island. Social-ecological scenario studies can help to develop strategies to adapt to such change. To investigate the present situation of marine litter pollution, a stratified random sampling (StRS) method was applied to survey the distribution of marine coastal litters around Zhoushan Island. A univariate analysis of variance was conducted to access the amount of litter in different landforms that include mudflats, artificial and rocky beaches. In addition, two questionnaires were designed for local fishermen and tourists to provide social scenarios. The results showed that the distribution of litter in different landforms was significantly different, while the distribution of litter in different sampling points had no significant difference. The StRS survey showed to be a valuable method for giving a relative overview of beach litter around Zhoushan Island with less effort in a future survey. The questionnaire feedbacks helped to understand the source of marine litter and showed the impact on the local environment and economy. Based on the social-ecological scenarios, governance recommendations were provided in this paper.

Assessment of beach litter pollution in Adana Akyatan Lagoon Coast of the East Mediterranean

This study is the first study to determine beach litter pollution in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. The pollution of beach litter were seasonally evaluated in a selected beach in the East Mediterranean Sea between August 2019 and April 2020. Beach litter survey was carried out seasonally according to 'Guidance on Monitoring of Marine Litter in European Seas' published by European Marine Strategy Framework Directive Technical Subgroup on Marine Litter. During the study, a total of 10.717 items and 229.29 kg were collected. The average litter abundance was 2.679 ± 0.418 items/m² and 57.326 ± 7.165 g/m². The results indicated that the most common type of litter were plastic and cloth/textile (84%) followed by paper/cardboard (56%), the unidentifiable (51%). Litter density showed significant seasonal differences with the highest in summer (P < 0.05). Akyatan beach was classified as extremely dirty according to Clean Coast Index. It was observed that the litter in the region averagely consisted mostly of mixed packaging litter (23.75%), domestic litter (20%) and unclassified litter (16.2%) items. Our results show that the coast of Akyatan Lagoon exposed to a significant amount of marine litter pollution originated from land-based sources. This study provides further evidence that there is a significant litter pollution in the East Mediterranean Sea and that the main component are plastics, which pose a great treat to Mediterranean Sea environment.

Marine litter on a highly urbanized beach at Southeast Brazil: A contribution to the development of litter monitoring programs

Seasonal distribution of Marine Litter (ML) on Santos beaches was assessed using a citizen science strategy. Plastics and cigarette butts (CB) were the dominant items in all sampling campaigns. Seasonal distribution did not result in significant differences for most items. Plastic and CB amounts were high in summer compared to autumn. For all sampled sites the presence of beach users influenced ML densities. However, results showed that some sites presented an additional influence of local hydrodynamic. Moderate amounts of hazardous items including metal, glass, CB, sanitary waste and plastic tubes used to pack and market illicit drugs represented between 20.8 and 31% of all ML over the seasons. The beaches of Santos were classified as dirty in autumn and spring and as extremely dirty in winter and summer. These findings can serve as a baseline to support mitigating actions by public authorities and start monitoring programs of ML not only in Santos but also in other urbanized beaches.

Abundance and Distribution of Cigarette Butts on Coastal Environments: Examples from Southern Spain

Litter on beaches is one of the most difficult problems in coastal management and every year, much efforts and public money are invested to try to alleviate and solve the problem. Cigarette butts (CB) are among the most widespread abandoned personal items in the world. In Spain, they are found on all types of beaches, where they are discarded by beach users; however, rivers and streams can also deposit CB on shores. This paper analyses the abundance of CB on different beaches in Southern Spain in order to address and better understand this relevant environmental problem and propose sound solutions to decrease or eliminate their presence. The main factors favouring CB accumulation were identified, namely the seasonality and number of beach users, beach typology (remote, rural, village or urban sites), type of beach sediment and methods and frequency of cleaning operations. Mean and median CB abundance values per 100 m of beach length, calculated from all the data used in this study, were 159 and 68 items, respectively. The largest number of CB were observed at urban sites, followed by village, rural and remote beaches. Further, sand beaches registered higher values of CB than cobble or pebble beaches.

Composition and abundance of macrolitter along the Italian coastline: The first baseline assessment within the european Marine Strategy Framework Directive

The main objective of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) was to achieve a Good Environmental Status (GES) in European waters by 2020, according to 11 descriptors. Descriptor 10 is related to marine litter and envisages that the properties and quantities of marine litter are at a level that does not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment. Even if GES was not achieved by 2020, the first MSFD implementation cycle filled many gaps in knowledge. Here we present the first data (2015-2018) on beach litter densities along Italian coasts and discuss lessons learnt and future perspectives. The beach litter median density was 477 items/100 m (interquartile range: 261-934 items/100 m), but subregional differences emerged both in terms of litter quantities and composition. The Adriatic Sea was the most polluted subregion (590 items/100 m), followed by the Western Mediterranean Sea (491 items/100 m) and the Ionian Sea and Central Mediterranean Sea subregion (274 items/100 m). A high presence of aquaculture-related litter (mainly mussel nets) characterised beaches in the Adriatic Sea. At the same time, the numbers of cotton bud sticks were extremely high in some beaches of the Western Mediterranean Sea. General litter (items discarded or left by the public on the coast or inland and carried by winds and rivers or objects originating from tourism and recreation at land or sea, poor waste management practices, etc.) was the most common litter typology (38.8%). The results of this study represent the first baseline to compare achievement towards GES in the next years and the efficacy of the program of measures which entered into force in 2016, concerning beach litter densities and composition. They also highlight the necessity of a joint effort for deploying harmonised marine litter monitoring methodologies across the European Member States to obtain comparable results.

Fate of river-borne floating litter during the flooding event in the northeastern part of the Black Sea in October 2018

This study is focused on delivery and fate of floating marine litter (FML) carried by rivers to coastal sea. We examine a large flooding event which happened in the northeastern part of the Black Sea in October 2018. A high resolution circulation model coupled with a Lagrangian particle model is applied to simulate transport of riverine FML in the coastal sea. During this flood multiple river plumes in the study area coalesced into one stripe of freshened water which occupied large segment of coastal sea along the shoreline. Riverine FML was transported within this stripe far off its sources in river mouths and remained arrested near the shore. As a result, approximately half of the discharged FML was washed ashore by the Stokes drift. FML, which remained in the sea, accumulated at convergence lines associated with large salinity gradients at the fronts between the river plumes and the ambient sea.

Spatio-temporal evaluation of macro, meso and microplastics in surface waters, bottom and beach sediments of two embayments in Niterói, RJ, Brazil

This study evaluated in the dry and rainy periods, the anthropogenic influence and the hydrodynamics in the distribution of plastic items in surface waters and bottom and beach sediments of the Jurujuba (Guanabara Bay, low and medium hydrodynamic) and Itaipu (oceanic region, high hydrodynamics) embayments; places of cultivation and extraction of mussels. Microplastics were 83% of the wastes collected, with a higher average concentration (138.41 items.kg^-1) in beach sediments. High density polyethylene (HDPE) (38%), polypropylene (21%), and styrene (10%) were the most frequent polymers. There was no difference between the water and bottom sediment samples in the different embayments, in the studied periods, different from that observed in the beach sediment samples, with higher concentrations in the rainy season in Jurujuba. The results suggest that beach sediments are the best compartment to understand the dynamics of the distribution of plastic waste over time.

Marine debris in Moroccan Mediterranean beaches: An assessment of their abundance, composition and sources

Morocco is well known for its attractive Mediterranean beaches, which play an important economic role. With the fast development and growth, these beaches have become more contaminated by marine debris. This paper examined the abundance, composition and marine debris sources on five beaches in the Moroccan Mediterranean during 2019 four seasons. A total of 7839 marine debris were collected from the five beaches with a total weight of 231 kg. The average density of the debris collected was 0.20 ± 0.098 items/m². Polymer materials constituted the majority of debris found, with a percentage of 71.36%, followed by paper/cardboard (11.50%), metal (5.77%), processed wood (5.34%), cloth/textile (2.51%) and glass/ceramics (1.76%). Human recreational activities were the main source of debris (70.13%), followed by smoking-related (13.98%). Debris density appears to be particularly influenced by beach users. Awareness campaigns are needed for beach users to improve the quality of the beaches.

From macro to micro, from patchy to uniform: Analyzing plastic contamination along and across a sandy tide-less coast

In search of an effective method to evaluate plastic contamination, macrolitter (>25 mm), mesolitter (5-25 mm), large microlitter (2-5 mm), large and small microplastics (2-5 mm and 0.5-2 mm) abundances in surface beach sands were simultaneously determined by two methods in four beach zones at six locations along the 100-km-long marine coast of the Curonian Spit National Park and the neighboring cities. Mean (median) content of plastic items per m² is 0.85 (0.33) for macro-, 1.48 (0.40) for meso-, 3.35 (0.68) for large microlitter, and 3235 (1800) for microplastics (0.5-5 mm). The distribution of litter and microplastics (0.5-5 mm) is highly variable along and across the beach. The abundance of small-microplastics (0.5-2 mm) at the beach face is similar for all the locations and replicates. Swash-zone mixing, water percolation, importance of sediment pore size (rather than grain size), natural sorting of plastic particles at the beach face are considered.

Microplastics and floating litter pollution in Bulgarian Black Sea coastal waters

Although marine plastic litter has been recognized as a global problem, there are insufficient data on the extent of plastic pollution in the Black Sea. The results from this pilot study of the floating marine litter and microplastics along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast revealed high quantities of floating litter (60.3-93.8 items.km^-2). The microplastic concentrations (1.14 × 10⁴-1.91 × 10⁵ items.km^-2, 0.33-490.52 g.km^-2) were on average lower than those found in other parts of the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, although the observed ranges were similar. Further studies are needed to elaborate the extent and spatial distribution of this type of pollution in the Black Sea basin.

Identifying distribution and accumulation patterns of floating marine debris in the Black Sea

The distribution and accumulation of floating marine debris in the Black Sea during the last few decades are analysed by the help of numerical modelling. An approach based on a mesoscale circulation model combined with a particle tracking model is applied. It is established that the litter distribution is nearly independent of the source location and is mainly controlled by the basin circulation system. The western gyre predominantly accumulates floating debris in summer. After the integration of the main cyclonic current in winter, the debris in the inner basin moves east. Retention zones along the south-western coast persist in time. The mean particle stranding time is estimated at about 200 days. Accumulation zones along the south-eastern and eastern coast are abundant in summer, and then move further northeast and north. Simulations demonstrate an increasing litter accumulation in summer on the North Western Shelf and shelf break.

Marine litter composition and sources on coasts of south-eastern Black Sea: A long-term case study

Long-term monitoring of marine litter composition and density has been conducted between 2009 and 2018 on eleven beaches of Trabzon city located on the south-eastern Black Sea coast in Turkey. All unnatural litter items were collected from randomly selected transects on the beaches. A total of litter items 4138 in number and 108.75 kg in weight were collected during the study. The highest litter density was 22.00 items/m² which is categorized as extremely dirty by Clean-Coast Index. The ANOVA results revealed that there was a significant difference in density between years (p< 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between stations, substratum and whether the station is located on a river mouth (p> 0.05). Plastic (79.69%) was the most commonly found litter followed by metal (7.37%) and glass (5.58%). The main source of the litter items was found to be river transportation (21.96%).

Seasonal variation of micro- and meso-plastics in the seawater of Jiaozhou Bay, the Yellow Sea

The seasonal change in the concentrations and characteristics of micro- and meso-plastics in the surface seawater of Jiaozhou Bay were studied. The concentrations of micro- and meso-plastics were 0.063, 0.174, 0.094, and 0.050 pieces/m³ in February, May, August and November, respectively, with an annual average concentration of 0.095 pieces/m³. The size of the micro- and meso-plastics ranged from 346 to 155,200 μm, with an average of 5093 ± 43 μm. The overall percentages of fibers, fragments and plastic foams were 29%, 55% and 16%, respectively. The dominant chemical composition was polypropylene (PP), accounting for 51.04% of polymers, followed by polyethylene (PE), accounting for 26.04% of polymers. Strong rainfall resulted in an increase in the plastic concentration in May, and winds and eddies affected the spatial distribution of plastics in Jiaozhou Bay.

Littered cigarette butt as a well-known hazardous waste: A comprehensive systematic review

Most of cigarettes used in the world have filters. Following smoking, the cigarette butts (CBs) are often littered as wastes in the environment. CBs generally contain several toxic substances that are trapped in the cigarette filter. Filters are made of non-biodegradable materials and remain in the environment for a long time. Within this study, it is attempted to systematically review the articles on CBs and find out the answers to the problems associated with the factors including quantity, distribution, origin and toxicity of CBs in the environment. It is estimated that approximately 5.5 trillion cigarettes are being produced annually in the world and the CB wastes would reach 1.2 million tons and increase by 50% until 2025. CBs contain thousands of dangerous chemicals such as arsenic, benzene, hydrogen cyanide, PAHs, pyridine, heavy metals and so forth. It is also believed that eachCB can pollute 1000 liters of water. Given the inadequacy of mechanical equipment as well as the cost of collecting these wastes, there should be a special focus on these items as follows: producing cigarettes with degradable filters, reducing the rate of smoking in the world, reducing the toxic and chemical substances in the process of plant growth, processing and production of cigarettes, training people to discard CBs properly, putting legal and financial pressures on cigarettes production, and the last but not least, providing effective solutions for collecting CBs.

Macro litter distribution of the Turkish Mediterranean coasts dominated by pleasure crafts

Litters are the most pollutants in progress of the interests in marine environments. Macro litter samples were collected from 66 stations to estimate litter contribution from pleasure crafts along bays of the most Turkish touristic coasts (Antalya-Muğla) by the divers in June/July 2019. Average abundance and weight were 19 items/km² and 18 kg/km², respectively. The most abundant litter was plastics and the most contributors in weight were metals, followed by glass/ceramics. Abundance of the litters increased with number of pleasure crafts in active in summer. Pleasure crafts contributed most abundantly with the personal wares to the total litter, particularly in the coasts of Muğla. Litters were differentiated with interaction of region × bottom depths. The litter composition and abundance were different between region of Antalya in active mostly by tour boats and region of Muğla by private yachts. The litter types were however correlated with sea surface temperature.

From Plant to Waste: The Long and Diverse Impact Chain Caused by Tobacco Smoking

Smoking is a social phenomenon of global scope. The impacts start from the cultivation of the plant to the disposal of cigarette butts in the most diverse places. These aspects go beyond economic and public health issues, also affecting natural environments and their biota in a serious and indistinct way. Of the six trillion cigarettes consumed globally each year, four and a half trillion are disposed somewhere in the environment. Cigarette butts are predominantly plastic, non-biodegradable waste, prevalent in coastal environments in various parts of the world, and with high potential for generating impacts on a wide range of socioeconomic and environmental aspects. Among the 5000 compounds found in a cigarette, those with higher toxic potential are mainly concentrated in the filter and in tobacco remnants, which are items found in discarded cigarette butts. After surveying published studies on this topic, the present study addressed the interaction between the impacts related to tobacco smoking, highlighting the problem as an important and emerging issue that demands joint efforts, and actions especially focused on the reduction of environmental impacts, an aspect that has not yet been assessed.

Spatial trends and drivers of marine debris accumulation on shorelines in South Eleuthera, The Bahamas using citizen science

This study measured spatial distribution of marine debris stranded on beaches in South Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Citizen science, fetch modeling, relative exposure index and predictive mapping were used to determine marine debris source and abundance. Citizen scientists quantified debris type and abundance on 16 beaches within three coastal exposures (The Atlantic Ocean, Great Bahama Bank and The Exuma Sound) in South Eleuthera. Marine debris, (~2.5 cm or larger) on each beach was monitored twice between March-May and September-November 2013 at the same locations using GPS. Approximately, 93% of all debris items were plastic with plastic fragments (≤2.5 cm) being the most common. There were spatial differences (p ≤ 0.0001) in plastic debris abundance between coastal exposures. Atlantic Ocean beaches had larger quantities of plastic debris by weight and by meter (m) of shoreline. Stranded plastic may be associated with Atlantic Ocean currents associated with leakage from the North Atlantic sub-tropical gyre.

A critical review of the issue of cigarette butt pollution in coastal environments

Beach anthropogenic litter is a worldwide problem and has been discussed in the specialized literature for decades. Cigarette butts (CB) are the most frequent form of personal item found on beaches. Yearly, 6 trillion cigarettes are smoked worldwide, and 4.5 trillion cigarettes are littered in the environment. The objective of our review was to assess the relevant literature on the issue of CB in costal environments, including urban areas. We compile and discuss studies (1998-2018) of CB sources for coastal environments, composition/degradability, quantification on beaches, toxicity to aquatic organisms and existing strategies to abate the problem. The literature shows that despite the growing interest in marine litter, this specific issue remains little studied and information is limited in time and space. Studies have been undertaken on islands, continental coasts, estuaries and coastal cities. There area wide variety of approaches to classification; for example, CB are considered plastic in 19% of studies and placed in an isolated category in another 16%. It was possible to identify the main sources of CB in coastal environments and access to the marine biota. In conclusion, we list and discuss proposals for reducing smoking, littering and marine pollution as a contribution to reduce the problems caused by CB in coastal and marine environments. CAPSULE: Cigarette butts are a pervasive, toxic and recalcitrant type of marine litter that requires urgent attention from manufacturers, users, authorities and the public to prevent the ingestion of cigarette butts by biota and water pollution from its leachate.

Marine litter accumulation along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast: Categories and predominance

Quantitative assessment of marine litter (ML) along the Bulgarian Black Sea coastline was presented. ML surveys were conducted every season in a total of 8 beach monitoring sites during 2015-2016. Eight main categories of material were determined, based on standard OSPAR monitoring protocol. Annual accumulation of 19,805 nos. was recorded. The highest was the quantity of items related to artificial polymer materials category - 16,690 nos. The most dominant in this category were cigarette butts and filters - 4496 nos., followed by plastic caps/lids drinks - 1413 nos. and cups and cup lids - 1194 nos. The highest was the abundance of most of the litter during the summer period, related to the increased number of beach visitors, numerous temporarily working fast - food eateries, some big and small restaurants and cafes in close proximity to the beaches, as well as fishing, wild camping, etc. The contribution of ML types to the coastal pollution, presented by number and weight of items was determined. The highest was the contribution (by number) of cigarette butts and filters - 29.7%, followed by plastic caps/lids of beverages - 9.4%; plastic cups and cup lids - 7.9%, etc. According to the weight drink bottles > 5 L exhibited highest percentage - 30.7%, followed by shopping bags incl. pieces - 15.5% and drink bottles ≤ 0.5 L - 13.2%. The ML accumulation, presented by number and weight gives more detailed information about litter characteristics, the levels of coastal pollution and improves ML management.

A novel GIS-based tool for predicting coastal litter accumulation and optimising coastal cleanup actions

Effective site selection is a key component of maximising debris removal during coastal cleanup actions. We tested a GIS-based predictive model to identify marine litter hotspots in Lofoten, Norway based on shoreline gradient and shape. Litter density was recorded at 27 randomly selected locations with 5 transects sampled in each. Shoreline gradient was a limiting factor to litter accumulation when >35%. The curvature of the coastline correlated differently with litter density at different spatial scales. The greatest litter concentrations were in small coves located on larger headlands. A parsimonious model scoring sites on a scale of 1-5 based on shoreline slope and shape had the highest validation success. Sites unlikely to have high litter concentrations were successfully identified and could be avoided. The accuracy of hotspot identifications was more variable, and presumably more parameters influencing litter deposition, such as shoreline aspect relative to prevailing winds, should be incorporated.