Environmental Pollution from Municipal Waste Discharge on Marine Ecosystem Health along the Southern Coasts of Iran (Case Study: Konarak Crab Beach, Chabahar Bay)

The entry of materials extracted from municipal, industrial and hospital waste into marine ecosystems is one of the serious environmental problems in coastal cities. One of the most important environmental challenges is the improper and unprincipled disposal of waste on the beaches. The Kharchang coast of Konarak city is one of these beaches that is subject to improper waste management in the country. In the present study, the possible environmental hazards of the landfill on the coast were investigated. According to the results, the traditional and inefficient waste disposal system on the shores of Konarak near the mangrove forests, has brought about the soil and air pollution, and with the entry of toxic leachates, plastics and microplastics, heavy metals and organic matter in the bed of sand, mud and also their entry into the sea has caused many health problems in these ecosystems and consequently the destruction of the marine environment of Chabahar Bay. Therefore, creating and organizing a fully standardized and mechanized system based on up-to-date methods seems to be essential in order to achieve the health of local ecologists. In addition, due to the proximity of the landfill to the aquatic ecosystems of the Oman Sea, the principle of choosing a suitable place for disposal and landfilling is effective in reducing potential environmental hazards in the region and will improve waste management.