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Macro Waste and Microplastics on Moyo and Medang Islands, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia
Summary
Surveys of beaches on Moyo and Medang islands in Indonesia found macro waste and microplastics distributed across both populated and remote shorelines. The study documents plastic pollution reaching relatively undisturbed island ecosystems, highlighting the far-reaching spread of plastic debris in Southeast Asian marine environments.
Indonesia is an archipelagic country with many small islands. However, studies on the distribution of plastic waste in coastal areas of small islands are still minimal compared to larger islands. This study aims to identify the types, quantities, and distribution of plastic waste (both macro and microplastics) on the coasts of Moyo Island and Medang Island, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Samples were collected at high and low tide through visual observation using transects for macro waste and by collecting coastal sediments for microplastics. Subsequently, sediments were analysed in the laboratory for microplastic identification using fragment, film, fibre, and granule classifications. The results showed that on Moyo Island, 273 macro waste items (8727 g) were recorded at high tide and 277 items (9539 g) at low tide, dominated by hard plastics (125 items), soft plastics (80 items), and rubber (15 items, 3375 g). Meanwhile, on Medang Island, 146 items were found at high tide and 205 items at low tide, with rubber contributing the highest weight (1115 g). Microplastic concentrations were also quite high, with 866 particles/kg at high tide and 689 particles/kg at low tide on Moyo Island, while on Medang Island, 807 particles/kg and 659 particles/kg were recorded, respectively. The most abundant types were films (401 particles/kg at Moyo, 251 particles/kg at high tide) and fragments (201–252 particles/kg), while granules were more prevalent at low tide (213 particles/kg at Moyo, 134 particles/kg at Medang).
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