Beach litter composition and distribution on the Atlantic coast of Cádiz (SW Spain)

Abstract

A total amount of 16,123 beach litter items, appertaining to 120 litter groups, was identified at 40 bathing areas along the coast of Cádiz, Spain. Selected areas covered remote (5), rural (11), village (13) and urban (11) sites with different morphodynamic states. The observer recorded litter data along 100 m (longshore) coastal sectors, cross-shore extended from the shoreline up to the landward limit of the beach. Litter was quantified at the low tide water level (where 2.1% of the total litter amount was recorded), along the foreshore (7.8%), at the high tide water level (64.2%) and backshore area (25.8%). Litter was dominated by plastics and cloth, related to the activity of beachgoers and wastewater discharges at places close to rivers and tidal creeks mouths. Specific location and morphodynamic characteristics of each site, number of users and clean-up operations were important factors that determined the content of beach litter.