COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) contamination in coastal areas of Granada, Spain.

The use of disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) as a control measure to avoid transmission against COVID-19 has generated a challenge to the waste management and enhances plastic pollution in the environment. The research aims to monitor the presence of PPE waste and other plastic debris, in a time interval where the use of face mask at specific places was still mandatory, on the coastal areas of Granada (Spain) which belongs to the Mediterranean Sea. Four beaches called La Rijana, La Charca, La Rábita and Calahonda were examined during different periods. The total amount of sampled waste was 17,558 plastic units. The abundance, characteristics and distribution of PPE and other plastic debris were determined. Results showed that the observed amount of total plastic debris were between 2.531·10-2 and 24.487·10-2 units per square meter, and up to 0.136·10-2 for PPE debris, where face masks represented the 92.22 % of the total PPE debris, being these results comparable to previous studies in other coastal areas in the world. On the other hand, total plastic debris densities were in the range from 2.457·10-2 to 92.219·10-2 g/m2 and densities were up to 0.732·10-2 for PPE debris. PPE debris supposed 0.79 % of the weight of total waste and the 0.51 % of total items. Concerning non-PPE plastic waste: cigarettes filters, food containers and styrofoam were the most abundant items (42.95, 10.19 and 16.37 % of total items, respectively). During vacation periods, total plastic debris amount increased 92.19 % compared to non-vacation periods. Regarding type of beaches, the presence of plastic debris was significantly higher on touristic/recreational than in fishing beaches. Data showed no significant differences between accessible and no-accessible beaches, but between periods with restrictive policy about mask face use and periods with non-restrictive policy data suggest significant differences between densities (g/m2) for PPE litter. The amount of PPEs debris is also correlated with the number of cigarettes filters (Person's r = 0.650), food containers (r = 0.782) and other debris (r = 0.63). Finally, although interesting results were provided in this study, further research is required to better understand the consequences of this type of pollution and to provide viable solutions to this problem.

Artisanal trawl fisheries as a sentinel of marine litter pollution.

Systematic seafloor surveys are a highly desirable method of marine litter monitoring, but the high costs involved in seafloor sampling are not a trivial handicap. In the present work, we explore the opportunity provided by the artisanal trawling fisheries to obtain systematic data on marine litter in the Gulf of Cadiz between 2019 and 2021. We find that plastic was the most frequent material, with a prevalence of single-use and fishing-related items. Litter densities decreased with increasing distance to shore with a seasonal migration of the main litter hotspots. During pre-lockdown and post-lockdown stages derived from COVID-19, marine litter density decreased by 65 %, likely related to the decline in tourism and outdoor recreational activities. A continuous collaboration of 33 % of the local fleet would imply a removal of hundreds of thousands of items each year. The artisanal trawl fishing sector can play a unique role of monitoring marine litter on the seabed.

Beach litter in three South American countries: A baseline for restarting monitoring and cleaning after COVID-19 closure.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused that most countries established the closure of many beaches, affecting the scientific monitoring of thousands of coastal sectors. This article shows the status of beach litter in South America before and after COVID-19 closure. The data were obtained during the years 2019, 2020 and 2022 on 25 beaches using a technique BLAT-QQ. The results show that cigarette butts were the most frequent type of litter, meanwhile Brazil should improve cleanliness of general gross litter and gross polystyrene. Colombia gross vegetation litter and small vegetation litter, and Ecuador organic litter from animals. The results shown in qualitative and quantitative manner facilitate their understanding for managers, scholars and activists interested on beach litter monitoring. This baseline is useful to analyse regional and worldwide marine litter trends with the purpose to start or restart monitoring of tourist beaches from a science-based method.

From source to sink: A comparative study of streamside and beach litter in the Black Sea.

The increasing amount of marine litter pollution and its impact on the marine environment raises global concern. This study aims to reveal the effect of streams on marine litter density and composition. A total of ten stations on the southeastern Black Sea and six stations on the Manahoz stream were seasonally surveyed. The litter density ranged between 0.838 ± 0.33 and 4.01 ± 0.55 items/m2 in the beach stations, and 0.93 ± 0.27 2.40 ± 2.18 items/m2 in the streamside stations. No significant difference was determined among the seasons for both beach and streamside (Kruskal-Wallis test, p > 0.05). On the other hand, the litter density was also similar in beach and streamside stations in the same season. The litter composition consisted of > 75% plastic. Principal component analysis and PERMANOVA determined no significant difference in litter composition among beach and streamside stations. The litter items mostly consisted of single-use items. Among them, plastic beverage containers were the most abundant litter subcategory during the study (ranging between 18.79% and 34.50%). The subcategory composition exhibited a significant difference among beach and streamside stations (ANOSIM, p < 0.05), which was mainly explained by plastic pieces, beverage containers, and foams according to SIMPER analysis. Personal protection equipment that was not reported before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. The results of our study can be used for marine litter modeling studies and legislation for restriction or ban of most abundant single-use litter items.

Marine litter in the Red Sea: Status and policy implications.

The Red Sea's unique ecosystem is home to >1500 species. However, the presence of anthropogenic litter, whether from land-based or sea-based sources, may pose a potential risk to the Red Sea fauna and flora. This work analyzes marine litter in the Red Sea, utilizing the Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to group findings in a survey of peer-reviewed studies. The review is further augmented with a survey of the current response, covering regional and national instruments. Although research addressing marine litter in the Red Sea is not as rich as for other seas, studies suggest marine litter is abundant and that the influx of litter is driven by recreational activity, fishing, and shipping. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the influx of marine litter to the Red Sea due to improper disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE). The response has intensified in recent years, with regional and national frameworks established and initiatives driven by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). We discuss whether the regional action plan addresses the specific concerns uncovered in marine litter studies while providing a comparison with plans of other regional seas.

Land use and COVID-19 lockdowns influence debris composition and abundance in stormwater drains.

Stormwater drains act as a pathway for anthropogenic debris from land to sea, particularly in urbanised estuaries where impervious surfaces expedite the process. Debris type and abundance in stormwater drains may vary due to land use and human activity, and knowledge of this variation is necessary to manage the growing threat of debris. Surveys of stormwater debris can inform targeted reduction and remediation efforts by intercepting and identifying pollutants near their source. We surveyed replicate stormwater gross pollutant traps across four land use zones (city centre, shopping centre, transportation hub, industrial precinct) before and during COVID-19 measures to assess the effects of changing human activities. Gross pollutant traps were installed in 120 drains in Greater Melbourne, Australia, and citizen scientists trained by Tangaroa Blue Foundation weighed and classified debris at 6-week intervals between October 2019 and October 2020. Four survey cycles were conducted before lockdowns were implemented, then another four during lockdowns. COVID-19 lockdowns and patterns of debris type and abundance across land use revealed how changes in human activity might impact the flow of debris. Cigarette butts were the most abundant macro debris (>5 mm) item in every survey cycle, regardless of lockdowns. Industrial land use zones had the lowest macro debris counts but contained over 90 % of the micro debris (1-5 mm). The amount of total macro debris decreased during lockdowns, however the most abundant and problematic debris items such as cigarettes and single-use plastics did not decrease as much as might be expected from the concomitant reductions in human activity. Occupational health and safety items, such as masks and gloves, increased (144 %) during COVID-19 lockdowns. Micro debris counts did not change in industrial zones during lockdowns, suggesting that workplace interventions may be necessary to reduce this debris leakage. Tracing the pathway of debris from source to sea can inform reduction and long-term management strategies.

Bottle with a message: The role of story writing as an engagement tool to explore children's perceptions of marine plastic litter.

As human behaviors play a crucial role in addressing the global threat of plastic pollution, it is vital to understand perceptions about marine plastic litter (MPL) and to develop interventions encouraging pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs). This study evaluates story writing as a window to explore perceptions and as an engagement activity to boost PEBs. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, schoolchildren from the East Pacific coast participated in this activity, each creating a story and answering a pre-post survey. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of 81 stories and 79 surveys show awareness of sources and impacts. Participants identified land and local pollution as significant contributors to MPL and emphasized bio-ecological impacts, reflecting concern for landscape and wildlife. While the stories presented a diversity of solutions, recycling dominated the surveys. As participants reported an increase in self-assessed knowledge and improved PEBs after this activity, it can be seen as an engagement tool to encourage behavior change.

COVID-19-related litter pollution on Greek beaches and nearshore shallow water environments.

COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in certain types of litter, many of which are expected to end up in the marine environment. The present study aimed to monitor the pandemic-related litter pollution along the Greek coastal environment. Overall, 59 beach and 83 underwater clean-ups were conducted. Litter was categorized as: PPE (face masks and gloves), COVID-19-related, single-use plastic (SUP) and takeaway items. PPE, dominated by face masks (86.21 %), accounted for 0.29 % of all litter. The average PPE density was 3.1 × 10-3 items m-2 and 2.59 items/ 100 m. COVID-19-related items represented 1.04 % of the total. Wet wipes showed higher densities (0.67 % of all litter) than in the pre-COVID era, while no increase in SUP and takeaway items was observed. Benthic PPE, dominated by gloves (83.95 %), represented 0.26 % of the total. The mean PPE density was 2.5 × 10-3 items m-2.

Evaluation of the status of marine plastic pollution along a tourist beach of Bay of Bengal during lockdown and post lockdown.

Marine plastic pollution is a global issue that has calamitous consequences for global economy, biodiversity, human health, and the climate. A few of the studies were carried out on the Gopalpur coast and the current baseline survey was conducted during Covid-19 pandemic lockdown (April-August 2021) and post lockdown (August-September 2021).The survey was covered about 1500 m along the coast, divided into 10 equal zones of each (20 × 150 m2) to collect the plastic debris based on colour, density, and weight. Plastic debris was categorized into 33 types with an average 1.276 g/m2 during lockdown and was categorized into 34 types with an average 3.34 g/m2 in post lockdown. The results imply that tourism has a greater impact on the beach in terms of pollution when compared with the local sources, which will have a drastic effect on the aesthetics of the beach, neighbouring turtle nesting site and indirectly on human health.

Factors in enhancing environmental governance for marine plastic litter abatement in Manila, the Philippines: A combined structural equation modeling and DPSIR framework.

This empirical study examines the factors enhancing environmental governance for marine plastic litter abatement in Manila, the Philippines. We use a combined covariance-based hybrid structural equation modeling (SEM) and DPSIR framework, with data collected via an online survey from 456 barangays in Manila, the Philippines. The survey was processed and analyzed using a combined model, validated through interviews and focused group discussions. With Higher-Order Model good internal consistency (0.917) and achieved measures of CFI (0.992), RMSEA (0.036), and SRMR (0.019), the findings revealed that environmental governance (COVID-19 waste), community participation, socio-economic factors, and solution measures have positively affected marine plastic litter (MPL) abatement. Notwithstanding, environmental governance (SWM policies and guidelines) has a negative impact on MPL abatement. There is, however, no link between waste infrastructure and MPL abatement. The findings provide significant perspectives in Manila to enhance environmental governance for MPL abatement. This paper presents policy-actions implications drawn from DPSIR-SEM.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on solid waste pollution in the worldwide iconic Copacabana Beach (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

Total and partial restrictions to beach access during COVID-19 pandemic created an opportunity to evaluate its effect on coastal pollution. We aimed to determine the impact of access restrictions on solid waste pollution at Copacabana beach, Brazil. Solid waste amount was analyzed considering beach access restrictions: unrestricted, total closure, partial restriction, new normal. Relationships of atmospheric temperature and precipitation with access restrictions were assessed and confounding effects controlled for further analyses. Beach access restrictions significantly reduced solid waste pollution at Copacabana beach, beach closure reduced waste amount in 72 %. Partial restrictions and new normal periods have significantly reduced solid wastes amount on the beach in 60 % and 36.88 %, respectively. Qualitative data revealed that most of solid wastes were single-use plastics recently disposed at Copacabana beach, reflecting beachgoer's effects on waste left on the beach. A positive impact of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions was detected on solid waste pollution at Copacabana beach.

Spatio-temporal assessment of COVID-19 lockdown impact on beach litter status and composition in Goa, India.

The study aimed to understand beach litter status at some of the world-famous beaches of Goa, West India, to comprehend the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown. We characterize litter in six categories (Nylon+Rubber, Plastics, Footwear, Glass, Metal, and Thermocol) for eight sampled beaches in the north and south Goa. All beaches show increased glass and decreased plastics (significant litter) during the lockdown period compared to the unlock period that marked the high tourist inflow. Beaches were classified and graded with colour codes using litter density exhibit light blue-green colour coding during the lockdown or unlock period, suggests clean maintenance. The Miramar beach located in the heart of the capital city showed relatively more litter density (yellow code) due to the combination of local people and tourist inflow. Morjim, Palolem, Velsao were littered the least during both periods.

Seasonal Distribution, Composition, and Inventory of Plastic Debris on the Yugang Park Beach in Zhanjiang Bay, South China Sea.

Plastic debris contamination in marine environments is a global problem that poses a considerable threat to the sustainability and health of coastal ecosystems. Marine beaches, as the key zones where terrestrial plastic debris reach coastal waters, are faced with the increasing pressures of human activities. In this study, we explored the distribution, composition, and inventory of plastic debris over seasonal and tidal zones at the Yugang Park Beach (YPB) in Zhanjiang Bay, South China Sea, to provide a baseline for plastic debris on a marine beach. The results showed mean abundance of plastic debris in summer (6.00 ± 2.10 items/m2) was significantly greater than that in winter (3.75 ± 2.12 items/m2). In addition, the composition of plastic debris ranged in size mainly from 1 to 5 mm and 0.5 to 2.5 cm in winter and summer, respectively. In terms of composition, white plastic debris was the most common (81.1%), and foam was the most abundant (64.4%). Moreover, there was a significant relationship between the abundance of plastic debris and sand grain size fraction (p < 0.05), implying the abundances of microplastic debris were more easily impacted by sand grain size (>2 mm). In total inventory, there were about 1.18 × 105 and 2.95 × 105 items of plastic debris on the YPB in winter and summer, respectively. The tidal variation and human activities are responsible for the plastic debris accumulation. This study provided a method to quantify the inventory of plastic debris on a beach and could be helpful to consider regional tidal variations and critical source areas for effective plastic debris clean-up.

The impact of marine debris on cetaceans with consideration of plastics generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The accumulation of human-derived debris in the oceans is a global concern and a serious threat to marine wildlife. There is a volume of evidence that points to deleterious effects of marine debris (MD) on cetaceans in terms of both entanglement and ingestion. This review suggests that about 68% of cetacean species are affected by interacting with MD with an increase in the number of species reported to have interacted with it over the past decades. Despite the growing body of evidence, there is an ongoing debate on the actual effects of plastics on cetaceans and, in particular, with reference to the ingestion of microplastics and their potential toxicological and pathogenic effects. Current knowledge suggests that the observed differences in the rate and nature of interactions with plastics are the result of substantial differences in species-specific diving and feeding strategies. Existing projections on the production, use and disposal of plastics suggest a further increase of marine plastic pollution. In this context, the contribution of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to marine plastic pollution appears to be substantial, with potentially serious consequences for marine life including cetaceans. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to investigate the direct links between industry, human behaviours and the effects of MD on cetaceans. This could help inform management, prevention efforts, describe knowledge gaps and guide advancements in research efforts. This review highlights the lack of assessments of population-level effects related to MD and suggests that these could be rather immediate for small populations already under pressure from other anthropogenic activities. Finally, we suggest that MD is not only a pollution, economic and social issue, but also a welfare concern for the species and populations involved.

Face masks related to COVID-19 in the beaches of the Moroccan Mediterranean: An emerging source of plastic pollution.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks became a common type of litter invading many different environments, including tourist beaches. However, the presence of face masks on beaches threatens the marine environment with a new form of plastic pollution. In this study, we monitored the occurrence and density of face masks on five tourist beaches along the Moroccan Mediterranean during five months starting from February until June 2021. A total of 321 face masks were recorded on the five beaches, 96.27% of which were single use. The mean density of face masks was 0.0012 ± 0.0008 m-2. Recreational beaches were the most polluted in the study area. This is related to the important influx of beachgoers on urban beaches compared to resort beaches. With the large number of masks introduced on the beach, we hypothesize that microplastic pollution could increase drastically in the Moroccan Mediterranean in the coming years. Significant efforts are required to reduce this type of waste.

(Micro)plastics: A possible criterion for beach certification with a focus on the Blue Flag Award.

On the one hand, environmental certifications like the Blue Flag award (BFA) are well-known globally for its role in beach management and tourism attraction. Plastic pollution like microplastics, on the other hand, has become a global concern due to their increasing persistence and negative environmental repercussions. This paper examines and discusses the factors that would lead to (micro)plastics being included to the BFA as a criterion. Thereby, we attempt to maximize BFA's potential as a tool for better understanding (micro)plastics on beaches and implementing strategies to reduce them. The anticipated primary benefits are: 1) knowing the degree of litter disposal and microplastic contamination, 2) conducting close monitoring, 3) having an accessible database for numerous coastlines throughout the world, 4) evaluating management strategies and making improvements, 5) assisting in long-term research, 6) having a responsible entity in charge of issue decision-making, and 7) a larger public/scientific outreach.

Macroplastic accumulation in roadside ditches of New York State's Finger Lakes region (USA) across land uses and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Macroplastics are a ubiquitous and growing environmental contaminant with impacts in both marine and terrestrial systems. Marine sampling has dominated research in this field, despite the terrestrial origins of most plastic debris. Due to the high surface water connectivity facilitated by roadside ditches, these landscape features provide a unique sampling location linking terrestrial and surface water systems. We collected and analyzed macroplastic accumulation by number of pieces, mass, and polymer type in roadside ditches across four land uses, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Commercial land use plastic accumulation rate was highest, while forested land use accumulation rates were lowest on a piece basis. Pre-COVID-19 piece accumulation rates were significantly higher than COVID-19 piece accumulation rates across all land uses. Mass accumulation rates followed similar patterns observed in piece accumulation, but the patterns were not always statistically significant. Plastic type 4 (i.e. thin plastic films), especially plastic bags and wrappers, was the most frequently collected type of macroplastic by piece across all land uses within the 1-7 Resin Identification Codes. By mass, the data were distributed less consistently across land uses. Cigarette filters, containing the polymer cellulose acetate, were the most frequently found roadside plastic, but are not within the 1-7 classification system. Our results suggest that policies in place limiting plastic bag usage could substantially reduce roadside plastics but other plastics, such as food wrappers and other single use plastic films, which comprised a large proportion of the plastic debris collected, should also be regulated to further decrease macroplastic pollution.

The impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on marine litter pollution along the Kenyan Coast: A synthesis after 100 days following the first reported case in Kenya.

The contribution of COVID-19 pandemic to marine litter pollution was studied in Mombasa, Kilifi, and Kwale counties of Kenya, in June 2020 (100 days following the first confirmed case in Kenya). Standing stock surveys were conducted in 14 streets and 21 beaches while 157 transects were surveyed for floating litter. COVID-19 related items contributed up to 16.5% of the total litter encountered along the streets. The urban beaches (Mkomani and Nyali) had the highest quantities of COVID-19 related items (55.1% and 2.6% respectively) attributable to the ability to purchase single-use products and lifestyle. Most of the recreational beaches had no COVID-19 related products which could be attributed to the presidential directive on beach closure as a COVID-19 contingency measure. No COVID-19 related litter was found in the floating litter. Generally, beach closure and cessation of movement reduced the amount of litter that leaked to the marine environment.

Healthcare Waste Status and Handling Practices during COVID-19 Pandemic in Tepi General Hospital, Ethiopia.

Background: Mismanagement of healthcare waste (HCW) during the COVID-19 pandemic can facilitate the transmission of coronavirus. Regarding this problem, there is gap of evidence in Ethiopia, and this study aimed to assess the HCW generation rate and management in Tepi General Hospital, southwest Ethiopia. Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional and case studies were conducted. The total amount of waste generated and its type among various case teams were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r) was used to assess the correlation between the total numbers of patients and the total amount of HCW generated. Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim, translated to English, and analyzed with Open Code version 4.02 software, and content analysis was followed. Results: The total mean weight (±SD) of waste generation rate in all service units of the hospital was 492.5 ± 11.5 kg/day. The higher proportion (61.9%) of the total HCW produced was general waste and the remaining (38.1%) was hazardous waste. There was a statistically significant (X 2 = 82.1, p < 0.001) difference in daily HCW generation rate among different case teams. Similarly, the hospital waste generation amount and total patient flow had a strong positive linear relationship (r = 0.7, p=0.032). COVID-19-related medical wastes were not properly handled, segregated, stored, and disposed. There was a scarcity of resources needed to manage HCW, and available resources were utilized poorly. Overall, healthcare wastes were managed as usual (pre-COVID-19). Conclusion: The mean HCW generation rate in Tepi General Hospital was high. Overall, wastes were mismanaged, and COVID-19-related HCWs have been managed as usual. Availing of important resources and training the concerned bodies should be considered during the crisis of COVID-19.