Marine debris occurrence along Las Salinas beach, Viña Del Mar (Chile): Magnitudes, impacts and management

Marine Debris (MD) magnitudes, impacts, and management were determined from samples collected along an urban coastal strip area of 95,015 m2 belonging to Las Salinas Beach, located in the famous touristic Chilean city of Viña del Mar (Valparaiso Region). Along the entire area a total of 27,990 marine debris items were collected, equivalent to an average abundance of 0.34 items m2. All items were grouped into 13 categories, with cigarette butts and plastic items dominating the samples with 38% (Avg: 0.13 items m2) and 32% (Avg: 0.11 items m2), respectively. Other marine debris groups were paper-cardboard 15% (Avg: 0.05 items m2), polystyrene 6% (0.02 items m2), machined wood 3% (Avg: 0.01 items m2) and metal 2% (Avg: 0.01 items m2). Glass, brick, organic items, cloth, sanitary waste, rubber, and other pollutants represent less than 4%. Las Salinas Beach can be considered as having “moderate” cleanliness in terms of the Clean Coast Index, however, hazardous debris items (sharp and toxic) reach a percentage of 43% (12089 items, Avg: 0.15 items m2). Beach user's detrimental littering habits play the lead role as the principal debris source, and are directly responsible for the decline for the environmental quality of Las Salinas Beach. Information presented in this work can encourage the development of optimal management strategies for preventing marine debris pollution along this area.