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Daily apportionment of stranded plastic debris in the Bintan Coastal area, Indonesia
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Researchers found thousands of plastic fragments washing up daily on Bintan Island beaches in Indonesia, much of it everyday plastic packaging carried by ocean currents. As these plastics break down, they can become microplastics that enter the food chain and waterways, a growing concern for human health since we may end up ingesting them through seafood and drinking water.
This study aims to provide a baseline report of the apportionment of stranded plastic debris (macro) in Bintan Island beaches. Their quantity and composition were assessed during a 45-day survey demonstrating the occurrence of the 3378 plastic fragments, which were, in decreasing order, constituted by LDPE (22.9%), PS (19.5%), PP (16.6%), PET (10.4%), HDPE (9.2%), PVC (7.2%), PU (4.9%), polyester (4.7%), polyamide (4.3%), and styrene/butadiene (0.3%). The abundance ranged from 1.2 to 4.7 items/m 2 . Additional apportionment ranged from 0.03 to 0.15 items/m 2 per day with an arithmetic mean of 0.09 ± 0.05 items/m 2 per day, mainly related to domestic waste influenced by hydrodynamic action such as longshore current and wind dynamics. Furthermore, we suggested mitigation measures focused on local action to address the plastic debris problem in Bintan beaches, which are typical of the coasts of small islands in Indonesia.
More Papers Like This
Identification of Marine Debris on Marannu Beach Pasimarannu Village, Sinjai Regency
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Researchers surveying a beach in Indonesia found that plastic waste—much of it still in larger, unbroken pieces—makes up most of the trash washing ashore, driven by nearby fishing, tourism, and everyday household waste. This matters because as this plastic sits in the environment, it gradually breaks down into microplastics that can enter the food chain (including seafood we eat) and pollute coastal waters people swim and fish in, highlighting why better waste management and cleanup efforts are needed to protect both ecosystems and human health.
Assessment of floating marine debris density, composition, chemical characteristics, and recycling potential along Gajah Beach and Pasir Putih Tabing Beach, Padang City, Indonesia
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Researchers found that trash floating near beaches in Padang City, Indonesia nearly tripled after rainfall (washing more waste from land into the water), and plastic made up the majority of this debris, up to 90% on normal days. This matters because that ocean plastic doesn't just harm marine life and fishing; it slowly breaks down into microplastics that can end up in seafood we eat, making better coastal trash cleanup and recycling systems a public health issue, not just an environmental one.
Microplastic Contamination in Human Stools, Foods, and Drinking Water Associated with Indonesian Coastal Population
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Researchers detected microplastics in the stool samples of more than half of the fishing community members tested in coastal Indonesia, with high-density polyethylene being the most common type found. Microplastics were also found in the seafood, staple foods, drinking water, table salt, and toothpaste regularly consumed by these participants. The study provides direct evidence that microplastics are entering the human body through multiple everyday sources in coastal populations.
Microplastics in the tropical Northwestern Pacific Ocean and the Indonesian seas
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Researchers measured microplastic abundance in the tropical Northwestern Pacific and Indonesian seas, finding very low concentrations in open-ocean currents but an order of magnitude higher levels in the Indonesian straits due to river runoff and current convergence patterns.
Microplastic Abundance in Sediment in Pangandaran Waters, West Java, Indonesia
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Researchers measured microplastic abundance in sediments at multiple stations in Pangandaran waters, West Java, Indonesia, finding the highest counts at station 2 (12,622 particles, mostly fibers and fragments) and the lowest at station 4 (1,809 particles). The study identifies oceanographic factors — currents, waves, and tides — as key drivers of microplastic movement and accumulation patterns in coastal Indonesian waters.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.