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Macrolitter and microplastics along the East Pacific coasts — A homemade problem needing local solutions
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Researchers conducted a comprehensive review of 257 peer-reviewed publications on macrolitter and microplastic pollution along East Pacific coasts, a region that has been relatively understudied. They found that both macrolitter and microplastics accumulate on shorelines and are present throughout the water column, seafloor, and other compartments. The evidence indicates that pollution is primarily from local, land-based sources, suggesting that regional management solutions would be most effective.
The East Pacific (EP) region, especially the central and southern EP, has been fairly less studied than other world's regions with respect to marine litter pollution. This comprehensive literature review (257 peer-reviewed publications) showed that both macrolitter (mostly plastics) and microplastics tend to accumulate on EP shorelines. Moreover, they were also reported in all the other compartments investigated: sea surface, water column, seafloor and 'others'. Mostly local, land-based sources (e.g., tourism, poor waste management) were identified across the region, especially at continental sites from low and mid latitudes. Some sea-based sources (e.g., fisheries, long-distance drifting) were also identified at high latitudes and on oceanic islands, likely enhanced by the oceanographic dynamics of the EP that affect transport of floating litter. Our results suggest that effective solutions to the problem require local and preventive strategies to significantly reduce the levels of litter along the EP coasts.
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Researchers compiled a comprehensive dataset on the abundance, distribution, composition, and sources of macrolitter and microplastics along the East Pacific coast by reviewing all peer-reviewed literature published through December 2022. The dataset underpins a review manuscript identifying the pollution as a regionally generated problem requiring local management solutions.
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Researchers compiled a comprehensive dataset from all peer-reviewed literature through December 2023 on the abundance, distribution, composition, and sources of macrolitter and microplastics along East Pacific coastal environments to support a regional review assessing local pollution drivers and needed solutions.
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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.