Plastic pollution on the Colombian central Caribbean beaches.

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Environmental Science
• Conservation Science

Background:

• Coastal pollution poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems and human health.
• Understanding plastic pollution dynamics is crucial for effective environmental management.
• The Central Caribbean Coast of Colombia is a region of ecological importance facing pollution challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the abundance, typology, and sources of plastic pollution on 24 beaches.
• To evaluate the environmental condition of the study area using the Clean Coast Index (CCI) and Plastic Abundance Index (PAI).
• To categorize beaches based on their plastic pollution levels and identify dominant plastic types.

Main Methods:

• Collection and categorization of plastic items into 43 typologies along 24 beaches.
• Calculation of average plastic abundance (items/m²).
• Application of the Clean Coast Index (CCI) and Plastic Abundance Index (PAI) for environmental assessment.
• Statistical grouping of beaches into environmental condition categories.

Main Results:

• An average plastic abundance of 4.54 items/m² was recorded.
• Eight dominant plastic typologies accounted for 82% of all collected plastics.
• The study area was categorized as "Extremely Dirty" with "Very High Abundance" of plastics.
• Beaches were statistically grouped into moderate, bad, and extremely bad environmental conditions.

Conclusions:

• The findings indicate significant plastic pollution on the Central Caribbean Coast of Colombia.
• The identified plastic typologies suggest mixed sources, including dumping and direct beach activities.
• Plastic medical/sanitary waste, ocean/waterway items, and smoking-related items were notable.
• Urgent management strategies are needed to mitigate plastic pollution in this region.