Successfully building a beach waste monitoring model

Dr. Duong Thi Lam and her research team went on a field trip to survey marine debris in Da Nang

Marine debris monitoring - an urgent issue 

The South Central Coast has a terrain intertwined between forests, mountains and seas. Coastal cities have many beautiful beaches, a typical monsoon tropical climate, hot all year round, favorable for economic and social development, especially the tourism and service industry. However, urbanization and rapid development of coastal cities lead to garbage and waste pollution from daily and economic activities such as maritime, aquaculture, fishing, tourism and service business, an urgent issue that needs attention today.

The development of the marine economy associated with environmental protection of the whole region is facing many difficulties and challenges due to marine environmental pollution taking place in many localities, in which, plastic waste pollution is one of the biggest challenges. Marine debris poses many risks to the environment, ecosystems and human health. However, monitoring marine debris is still a challenge for most countries in the region and in the world. Currently, there is no standard model for monitoring marine debris in general for all countries, or specifically for each country, because the monitoring depends on the climatic conditions, topography, and oceanographic regime of each region.

With the goal of linking marine economic development with key industries such as aquaculture, service tourism, and green and sustainable marine transportation, localities in the region need to have programs and plans to regularly and periodically monitor environmental pollution, including marine debris pollution.

Research to build a model

International organizations and scientists around the world encourage marine countries to monitor marine debris in accordance with actual conditions in the region, based on international standard frameworks, in order to provide data on marine debris, effectively evaluate strategies, action plans to reduce ocean litter globally, at the national, regional and local levels. From the above practice, Dr. Duong Thi Lam and her colleagues have proposed and been approved by the Academy to carry out the task: "Investigating and building a marine debris monitoring model and proposing solutions to reduce environmental pollution in the South Central coastal area" (code: UQSNMT.02/21-22).

Within the framework of the study, scientists investigated and determined the origin of marine debris in the coastal areas of the South Central region (Da Nang, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon). The determination of the geographical origin of marine debris shows that: About 80% of marine debris in the area is of continental origin, about 20% is of marine origin. The determination of the origin of marine debris by industry gives results in the following order: Fisheries> public> unknown origin> transportation> medical> illegal. In which, waste originating from fisheries (43%) and public (34%) compared to the total amount of marine debris, accounting for a large amount of marine debris in the region. The density of waste on the beaches in the study area ranged from 0.005 -1.054n/m2 and the beaches were considered clean compared to other areas in the country and the world. Plastic waste accounts for the main component (97%) of total marine litter. Macro and meso-sized garbage is the main component (about more than 99%). The total amount of waste observed in the Han Eestuary area is 446 garbage units, with a density of 500 - 1875n/km2, the density of floating waste in the estuary area tends to increase in the dry season, decrease in the rainy season.

a) Beaches in Da Nang area	b) Beaches in Nha Trang area	c) Beaches in Quy Nhon area

Map of the location of beach waste sample collection in the South Central coastal area 

Diagram of beach waste sample collection

From the survey data, the researchers have successfully built a marine debris monitoring model and piloted it in Da Nang area with the following specific information: Calculating the spread of waste by measuring the drift trajectory of the garbage water mass combined with calculation software DELFT3D determining the location of the monitoring model ( the concentration of marine debris). The location of the marine waste monitoring sample collection unit KV1 has coordinates of 4 points (16.0738, 108.18677; 16.07362, 108.18771; 16.07384, 108.18774; 16.07402, 108.18684) in Da Nang Bay beach with a length along the beach of 100 m, the width of the beach is 25 m. The research team has successfully developed a marine debris inventory for the Da Nang area (to be used for subsequent monitoring periods) and developed quality assessment/control guidelines for marine debris monitoring in the study area.

a. Diagram of the geological measurement system of surface and deep marine debris	b. Buoys determine the trajectory of marine debris

Float measuring the drift trajectory of the garbage water mass

Dr. Duong Thi Lim shared: The research team's marine debris monitoring model can be applied to monitor the current status of marine debris in Da Nang area and assess the trend of waste in the marine environment. The results of the task have met practical requirements in researching the current state of marine debris pollution that is causing many problems in the South Central region, contributing to promoting the cleaning of the marine environment and the economic development of green and sustainable regions. In order to reduce marine debris pollution, localities in the South Central coastal region need to develop action plans to reduce waste pollution in their localities, paying special attention to solutions to manage solid waste in the field of fisheries and urban areas, raising people's awareness of the harmful effects of marine debris on ecosystems and the economy.

Translated by Phuong Ha
Link to Vietnamese version