title: Quantities, composition, and sources of beach debris in Korea from the results of nationwide monitoring.
abstract: This study assessed the levels of marine debris pollution and identified its main sources in Korea. The surveys were bimonthly conducted by NGO leaders and volunteers on 20 beaches from March 2008 to November 2009. The quantities of marine debris were estimated at 480.9 (±267.7) count⋅100 m(-1) for number, 86.5 (±78.6) kg⋅100 m(-1) for weight, and 0.48 (±0.38) m(3)⋅100 m(-1) for volume. The level of marine debris pollution on the Korean beaches was comparable to that in the coastal areas of the North Atlantic ocean and South Africa. Plastics and styrofoam occupied the majority of debris composition in terms of number (66.7%) and volume (62.3%). The main sources of debris were fishing activities including commercial fisheries and marine aquaculture (51.3%). Especially styrofoam buoy from aquaculture was the biggest contributor to marine debris pollution on these beaches.
authors.affiliation: Korea Marine Litter Institute, Our Sea of East Asia Network, 717 Leadersvill 1570-8, Jukrim, Gwangdo, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam 650-826, South Korea; Pukyong National University, 45 Yongso-ro, Nam-Gu, Busan 608-737, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sunwook
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Korea Marine Litter Institute, Our Sea of East Asia Network, 717 Leadersvill 1570-8, Jukrim, Gwangdo, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam 650-826, South Korea; Pukyong National University, 45 Yongso-ro, Nam-Gu, Busan 608-737, South Korea. Electronic address: sachfem@nate.com.
authors.forename: Jongmyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Pukyong National University, 45 Yongso-ro, Nam-Gu, Busan 608-737, South Korea.
authors.forename: Daeseok
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Oceanographic Data & Information Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, Ansan 656-834, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Educational Psychology, Graduate school of education, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam 660-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005398:Fisheries / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D056910:Republic of Korea; D062611:Solid Waste
chemical_list: D062611:Solid Waste
keywords: Beach monitoring; Composition; Korea; Marine debris; Quantity; Source