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Beach litter in three South American countries: A baseline for restarting monitoring and cleaning after COVID-19 closure
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Researchers surveyed beach litter on 25 South American beaches before and after COVID-19 closures, finding that cigarette butts were the most common item while plastic and organic debris patterns varied by country. The study establishes a baseline for ongoing coastal monitoring and provides region-specific data to guide cleanup and policy efforts.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused that most countries established the closure of many beaches, affecting the scientific monitoring of thousands of coastal sectors. This article shows the status of beach litter in South America before and after COVID-19 closure. The data were obtained during the years 2019, 2020 and 2022 on 25 beaches using a technique BLAT-QQ. The results show that cigarette butts were the most frequent type of litter, meanwhile Brazil should improve cleanliness of general gross litter and gross polystyrene. Colombia gross vegetation litter and small vegetation litter, and Ecuador organic litter from animals. The results shown in qualitative and quantitative manner facilitate their understanding for managers, scholars and activists interested on beach litter monitoring. This baseline is useful to analyse regional and worldwide marine litter trends with the purpose to start or restart monitoring of tourist beaches from a science-based method.
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A review of plastic debris in the South American Atlantic Ocean coast – Distribution, characteristics, policies and legal aspects
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Researchers compiled and reviewed studies on plastic debris along the entire South American Atlantic coast, covering distribution patterns, types of plastic, and existing policies. They found that macroplastic items like packaging and cigarette butts dominate beach litter, while microplastic contamination is widespread in water and sediment across the region. The review highlights significant gaps in research coverage and inconsistencies in national regulations that hinder effective plastic pollution management.
Spatio-temporal distribution of cigarette butt contamination in urban beaches with varying levels of use.
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Researchers assessed cigarette butt contamination on two urban beaches in Recife, Brazil over nine months, finding that contamination levels correlated with beach use intensity, with butts at varying degradation stages, and that brand composition varied temporally and spatially across sampling events.
Litter Reduction during Beach Closure in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Quantifying the Impact of Users on Beach Litter Generation
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Researchers found that closing urban beaches during COVID-19 lockdowns in northeastern Brazil reduced beach litter by 49% overall and locally discarded litter by 88%, demonstrating that direct human presence is the primary driver of beach litter accumulation.
Cigarette butt pollution in popular beaches of Morocco: Abundance, distribution, and mitigation measures
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This study surveyed cigarette butt pollution on eleven Moroccan Mediterranean beaches from 2018 to 2023, finding cigarette butts were the most common type of litter. Pollution levels varied by beach type, season, and visitor density, highlighting the need for targeted local action against this major source of plastic waste.
Litter assessment on sandy beaches along the Brazilian coast: a large-scale analysis of macrolitter and microplastics
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Researchers conducted a large-scale assessment of macrolitter and microplastic contamination on sandy beaches along the Brazilian coast, characterizing pollution patterns, dominant polymer types, and potential anthropogenic sources across multiple sites.
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.