Coastal and marine plastic debris in Vietnam: Assessing the impacts on Ecosystems, Human health, and Infrastructure

Abstract Plastic contamination in marine and coastal areas represents a significant environmental stress to Vietnam, where rapid urbanization in these areas has increased the flux of plastic waste into marine ecosystems. This review synthesizes research papers within the last 5 years (2020–2025) to provide an updated assessment of marine and coastal plastic contamination in Vietnam. The analysis focuses on the impacts on marine biota, potential human health risks, and the operational and material integrity of coastal and offshore engineering infrastructure. Findings confirm Vietnam as a substantial contributor to global marine plastic debris, with an estimated annual input of mismanaged plastic waste reaching 730,000 metric tons. Elevated concentrations have been consistently documented with less than 5 items/g wet tissue of bivalves, from 10-20 items/individual, from tens to thousands of items/kg dry sand, several hundred items/L in the seawater and several thousand items of microplastics/kg sediment. Furthermore, it implicates the potential issues of human health due to the consumption of contaminated seafood serves. Concurrently, high-density fluxes of plastic waste compromise the operational efficiency and structural integrity of coastal infrastructure (e.g., port facilities, breakwaters, industrial cooling intakes) and offshore assets (e.g., oil and gas platforms, prospective wind energy installations) through mechanisms such as biofouling, physical blockages, and abrasion-induced material degradation.