Shoreline Sustainability: Addressing Plastic Threats and Mitigation Strategies

Dear Colleagues,

Our dependence on plastic materials for modern life has led to an increase in plastic waste in coastal systems. Plastics have induced alarm among scientific and management bodies as an emerging marine and coastal contaminant. Recent studies suggest that these small plastic particles are ubiquitous in the marine system, as they have been recorded in every coastal and marine habitat around the world. Plastics began to enter the ocean in increasing quantities in the 1950s from a wide variety of land- and sea-based sources. From then onward, reports have addressed the presence of floating plastic microdebris in the ocean, and many were published in the scientific literature in the 1970s–1980s. To mitigate the harm caused by plastic pollution, it is essential to understand the life cycle of plastic products, from the use and disposal of plastic to its arrival into coastal marine environments. Therefore, the purpose of this Special Issue is to publish the most exciting research with respect to plastic pollution in the coastal environment and review the current knowledge base on the sources, dispersal, accumulation, and most importantly solutions to the problem of plastic pollution. This Special Issue also discusses, and gives examples of, current initiatives to reduce the plastic load, including the circular economy approach and other successful campaigns around the world. Lastly, it discusses the importance of the behavioral, social, and economic changes needed to reduce plastic demand and use, to allow for lasting systematic solutions.

Prof. Dr. Michele Arienzo
Prof. Dr. Luciano Ferrara
Guest Editors

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• sources and flows of plastics in coastal environments
• characterization and quantification of plastics
• advanced analytical techniques for plastic identification
• effects of plastics on marine biota and modelling
• current challenges and future solutions for prevention, mitigation strategies, and remediation
• biodegradable materials for plastic replacement