Beaches in the Plasticene : Risk assessment of anthropogenic marine litter pollution and mitigation measures in beach ecosystems of the West Coast of India
Date
2025Author
Sen, A.
De, K.
Das, N.
Maiti, B.
Gallitelli, L.
Sreejith, K. S.
Nanajkar, M.
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Mismanaged solid waste and plastics pose a significant global environmental challenge, affecting ecosystems from coastlines to the deep-sea basin. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of anthropogenic marine litter on fourteen popular tropical tourist beaches along the west coast of India, Eastern Arabian Sea. We examined the litter composition, spatial distribution, probable sources, and the role of regional hydrodynamics in litter accumulation. A total of 8409 litter items spanning 36 categories were identified during field surveys, with an average density of 1.82? ?0.53 items m? . Litter density was higher in the high tide zone (2.35? ?0.31 items m? ; ranged: 0.81 4.48 items m? ), compared to the low tide zone (1.29? ?0.26 items m? ; ranged: 0.49 3.28 items m? ). Similarly, the average litter weight was 13.19? ?1.75?g?m? in the high tide zone and 9.01? ?1.50?g?m? in the low tide zone. Beach quality indices, including the Clean Coast Index and General Index, classified beaches as moderately to severely dirty, while the Hazardous Item Index placed them in categories II and III due to significant hazardous litter presence. The Clean Environment Index further identified half the beaches as dirty or very dirty. The findings suggest that litter primarily originates from tourism, fishing, and improper disposal practices. While regular beach clean-up initiatives mitigate litter accumulation to some extent, they provide only short-term relief and do not address fundamental drivers such as inadequate waste management infrastructure, high rates of solid waste and plastic production, and public littering behavior. Sustainable strategies, including source control, improved waste disposal systems, circular economy initiatives, and public behavioural changes, are essential to mitigate marine litter pollution effectively.
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