We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Identification of Marine Debris on Marannu Beach Pasimarannu Village, Sinjai Regency
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveying a beach in Indonesia found that plastic waste—much of it still in larger, unbroken pieces—makes up most of the trash washing ashore, driven by nearby fishing, tourism, and everyday household waste. This matters because as this plastic sits in the environment, it gradually breaks down into microplastics that can enter the food chain (including seafood we eat) and pollute coastal waters people swim and fish in, highlighting why better waste management and cleanup efforts are needed to protect both ecosystems and human health.
Marine debris has become one of the most significant environmental challenges affecting coastal ecosystems, particularly in developing coastal regions where fisheries, tourism, and human settlements coexist. This study aimed to identify the composition, size distribution, biomass, and spatial distribution of marine debris on Marannu Beach, Pasimarannu Village, Sinjai Regency. Field sampling was conducted in May 2025 using the line transect method recommended by NOAA. Three sampling stations were established, each consisting of three transects and three 10 × 10 m quadrats. All collected debris was classified according to material type (plastic, wood, glass, rubber, textile, metal, and expanded polystyrene), size category (mega, macro, and meso), and total weight. Oceanographic parameters, including currents, waves, and tides, were obtained from the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG) to support interpretation of debris accumulation patterns. The results demonstrated that plastic was the dominant debris type at all sampling stations, reflecting the substantial influence of fisheries, tourism, and domestic activities on coastal pollution. Macro-debris represented the predominant size category, indicating that most waste entered the coastal environment before undergoing fragmentation. In contrast, wooden debris contributed the greatest biomass despite being less abundant than plastics. Variations among sampling stations were closely associated with differences in surrounding land use and hydrodynamic conditions, particularly current direction, wave height, and tidal fluctuations. These findings indicate that marine debris accumulation on Marannu Beach is controlled by the interaction between anthropogenic activities and oceanographic processes. Therefore, integrated coastal waste management, continuous environmental monitoring, community participation, and improved solid waste management systems are essential to reduce marine debris pollution and support sustainable coastal ecosystem conservation.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic Pollution in Beach Sediments Influenced by Fishing and Tourism in Cirebon, Indonesia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found tiny plastic fragments—mostly bits of plastic film from packaging—scattered across beach sediments in a busy Indonesian coastal city, largely coming from household trash washing into the ocean near fishing communities. Half of these plastic particles were smaller than 1mm, meaning they're small enough to easily enter the food chain through fish and seafood that people eat. This matters because it shows how everyday plastic waste and weak trash disposal systems can directly pollute the seafood many coastal communities rely on for food.
Identification of the types and characteristics of marine debris in Manado Bay, North Sulawesi Province
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed beaches in Manado Bay, Indonesia, and found that plastic and wood debris are piling up along the coast, with plastic pollution spiking during rainy seasons when rivers wash trash into the ocean. This matters because plastic waste in the water breaks down into microplastics that can enter the seafood people eat, and the study's call for better waste management and community cleanup efforts could help reduce that contamination at the source.
Assessment of floating marine debris density, composition, chemical characteristics, and recycling potential along Gajah Beach and Pasir Putih Tabing Beach, Padang City, Indonesia
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that trash floating near beaches in Padang City, Indonesia nearly tripled after rainfall (washing more waste from land into the water), and plastic made up the majority of this debris, up to 90% on normal days. This matters because that ocean plastic doesn't just harm marine life and fishing; it slowly breaks down into microplastics that can end up in seafood we eat, making better coastal trash cleanup and recycling systems a public health issue, not just an environmental one.
Marine Macro-Debris Pollution on the Coast of Negeri Haruku Village
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that beaches on Negeri Haruku village's coast are heavily littered with plastic debris, with some areas so polluted that even a beach with no nearby human activity was covered in trash—likely washed in by ocean currents from elsewhere. This matters because as plastic waste breaks down in the environment, it can turn into microplastics that enter seafood and drinking water, meaning pollution in one location can end up on someone else's dinner plate far away.
Characteristics and Distribution of Marine Macro-Litter Along the Coast of Ambon Bay
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed beaches around Ambon Bay in Indonesia and found that plastic makes up the vast majority of the trash washing ashore, with some spots (like Poka) far more polluted than others. This matters because plastic waste that piles up on coastlines gradually breaks down into microplastics, which can enter seafood and drinking water — meaning where and how much plastic accumulates on shorelines is an early warning sign for pollution that could eventually affect the food we eat.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.