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Marine plastic pollution in Morocco: state of the knowledge on origin, occurrence, fate, and management
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Researchers reviewed the state of marine plastic pollution in Morocco, identifying fishing, tourism, and maritime trade as major sources of coastal plastic inputs and finding that data gaps, inadequate waste management infrastructure, and weak enforcement of disposal laws are the primary barriers to addressing the problem.
Plastic pollution presents a major challenge facing stakeholders and decision-making worldwide. Plastics in the ocean damage biodiversity and marine ecosystem services that the blue economy relies upon. The present work analyses and reviews the literature on plastic pollution and the background knowledge about marine plastic pollution in Morocco. The economy of Morocco depends mainly on marine activities, including fisheries, tourism, and maritime trade. These sectors were identified as the main in-situ sources of plastics entering Moroccan coastal waters. The analysis results showed that the increasing abundance of plastics in such marine systems causes substantial economic loss to blue economy activities. In contrast, the lack of data on the plastic waste quantity entering Moroccan water is a limiting factor for assessing plastic pollution. This highlights the need for a risk assessment and more field investigations to value the weight impacts of marine activities generators of plastics on biodiversity and the economy. In addition, implementing laws and rules forbidding the disposal of plastic waste (PW) in public spaces, mainly beaches, and streets, is urgently needed. Raising awareness of plastic waste management and prioritizing improved waste collection, sorting, and management would boost Morocco's establishment and adoption of circular economy strategies. It is worth noting that while implementing the management projects and regulatory frameworks of plastic waste, considering their source and usage purpose is mandatory.
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A literature review documents the extent of marine plastic pollution along Morocco's Mediterranean coastline, linking it to high plastic consumption and poor waste management infrastructure. The review highlights that plastics breaking down into microplastics pose growing risks to marine biodiversity and potentially to the many communities along this coast that depend on seafood.
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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.