A transcontinental threat: Plastic waste from Africa invades Brazil's coast

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2024-12, Vol.954, p.176599, Article 176599
• Main Authors: Brabo, Lucio, Martins, Laercio L., Andrades, Ryan, Teixeira, Carlos E.P., do Nascimento, Adriana Pereira, de Azevedo, Rufino Neto Andrade, Bezerra, Luís E.A., Cavalcante, Rivelino M., Cottens, Kelly Ferreira, Soares, Romulo Alexandre, de Oliveira Sousa, Paulo Henrique Gomes, Mont'Alverne, Tarin F., Soares, Marcelo O., Giarrizzo, Tommaso
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beach debris; Coastal pollution; Marine pollution; Plastics; Polymeric analysis
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176599

Identifying the origin of plastic pollution is essential for the development of effective preventive and mitigatory strategies and guidelines for companies, governments, and stakeholders. In 2022, a considerable amount of plastic waste stranded on beaches of the northeastern coast of Brazil. A preliminary analysis of this waste revealed that most of the items were likely foreign made, and a brand auditing approach was applied to identify the brands, parent companies, and potential origin of the plastic waste. The items were also examined to determine their degree of degradation, polymer resin codes, colors, and probable uses. Given their probable foreign origin, a numerical simulation was employed using the OpenDrift dispersion model to determine the likely route each item would have taken before reaching the Brazilian coast. The brand audit confirmed that most of the plastic waste came from Africa (78.5 % of the items), followed by Brazil (15.7 %), and other nations (5.8 %). A total of 31 brands from seven African countries were identified, of which, >90 % originated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Drift simulations were consistent with the results of the brand audit, indicating that the plastics originated from the west coast of African, primarily between latitudes 5° N and 10° S. This analysis indicated that the Congo river was the principal source of the plastic waste that found its way to the Brazilian beaches. The present study highlights the widespread occurrence of plastic pollution across the Atlantic Ocean and underscores the need for mitigatory and regulatory measures that consider foreign sources, as well as local drivers of pollution. In this context, continuous monitoring programs will be essential to advance our understanding of the magnitude of the international plastic pollution problem, and provide insights to delineate specific enforcements dealing with this issue. [Display omitted] •Tracking the origin of marine pollution is essential for designing effective mitigatory measures.•A substantial amount of unfamiliar debris was found along the Brazilian semiarid coast.•A brand audit revealed that most of the plastic debris came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.•Drift simulations confirmed that the likely origin of the plastic waste was the Atlantic coast of Africa.