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Preventing Styrofoam in Marine Environment through Eco-friendly, Durable Bivalve Buoys of Reduced Impact through structural modification
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This article discusses the problem of styrofoam buoy fragmentation as a major source of marine microplastics in South Korea and evaluates existing governmental and industry efforts to address it. The authors propose a new eco-friendly buoy design made from biodegradable materials with enhanced structural durability as a direct replacement for styrofoam. The article also outlines potential public awareness campaigns to encourage adoption of the new buoy type.
Microplastics and marine pollution are emerging environmental issues around the world. In South Korea, styrofoam buoys are one of the primary sources of microplastics. The article addresses current limitations regarding environmental efforts done to reduce styrofoam buoys at governmental and company levels. The article introduces one solution to the problem, a new eco-friendly buoy made of biodegradable material with enhanced durability and sustainability. The article proposes potential campaigns and activities to raise awareness of the issue and encourage using eco-friendly buoys.
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The Hidden Cost of Buoyancy: Environmental and Social Consequences of EPS in Marine Aquaculture
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Researchers examined how expanded polystyrene buoys used in South Korean oyster aquaculture generate microplastic contamination that bioaccumulates in filter-feeding organisms and disproportionately burdens low-income coastal communities, advocating for biodegradable buoy alternatives and systemic governance reforms in marine infrastructure.
Eco-friendly thermoplastic-basalt composite buoy system: eliminating microplastic pollution in marine oyster farming
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An eco-friendly thermoplastic-basalt composite material was proposed as an alternative to conventional buoy systems, designed to reduce microplastic shedding into marine environments. The study demonstrates that material substitutions in maritime infrastructure can meaningfully cut a source of ocean plastic pollution.
Distribution and Environmental Impact of Expanded Polystyrene Buoys from Korean Aquaculture Farms
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Researchers investigated the trajectories and fragmentation of expanded polystyrene buoys from South Korean aquaculture farms using Lagrangian particle tracking and ocean current data, finding that EPS debris spreads widely across Korean coastal waters. The study quantified the substantial contribution of aquaculture EPS to marine microplastic pollution.
Fabrication of porous ceramic buoys (Ⅰ): preparation of porous ceramic beads for buoy manufacturing
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Researchers fabricated porous ceramic buoys using soda-lime glass waste as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional expanded polystyrene buoys, which are a major source of marine microplastics, finding that optimized foaming conditions produced lightweight beads with a bulk density of approximately 0.2 g cm-3 suitable for buoy assembly.
Reducing Plastic Pollution in the Ocean: MycoBuoys as a Potential Solution
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Mycelium-based buoys grown from mushroom material are proposed as a biodegradable alternative to polystyrene foam buoys widely used in Maine aquaculture and fisheries. Unlike Styrofoam, which breaks into persistent microplastic pollution, MycoBuoys decompose completely into beneficial soil nutrients at end-of-life, offering a circular economy solution to a significant source of coastal plastic contamination.
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.