Coastal processes and human drivers of ocean-derived plastic pollution: insights from remote beaches of the Colombian Caribbean

Abstract

Ocean-derived plastic pollution represents a tangible Anthropocene imprint on coastal systems, where natural transport processes and intensified human activities converge. This study examines the composition, functional origin, and spatial patterns of marine litter along eight remote beaches on the central Caribbean coast of Colombia, an ecologically sensitive region influenced by regional fishing fleets, international shipping lanes, and complex hydrodynamic regimes. Using the OSPAR classification system and the newly developed Ocean-Derived Litter Pressure Index (ODLPI), we quantify typological diversity, litter intensity, and functional categories of offshore-sourced debris. Plastics dominate (> 90%) the collected litter, with over 85% linked to fisheries, particularly Abandoned, Lost, or Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) and operational containers. Multivariate analyses reveal spatial heterogeneity shaped by ocean currents, wave exposure, and proximity to fishing activity, with hotspots such as Isla Arena reflecting convergence-driven long-range drift. These patterns demonstrate the role of coastal processes in mediating the stranding of human-derived materials and underscore the diagnostic value of remote beaches as passive accumulation zones. Governance gaps are evident, including weak enforcement of MARPOL Annex V and insufficient port reception infrastructure. The disproportionate exposure of remote and underserved communities, despite minimal contributions to sea-based emissions, highlights urgent equity and environmental justice considerations. We propose process-informed, typology-based monitoring indicators and recommend integrating remote beaches as sentinel sites into national, regional, and global marine litter frameworks. By linking geomorphological and oceanographic processes with socio-environmental governance, this research advances multidisciplinary approaches to coastal sustainability, contributes to SDGs 11, 13, 14, 15, and 17, and strengthens the science–policy interface needed to reduce sea-based plastic pollution in tropical and under-monitored coastal regions worldwide.

Keywords

Ocean-derived plastic pollution / Abandoned / Lost / Or Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) / Remote beaches / Marine debris monitoring / Transboundary pollution / Marine governance

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