Troubled water: tracing the plastic tide on Sierra Leone’s beaches
Troubled water: tracing the plastic tide on Sierra Leone’s beaches
This study provides the first investigation into quantities, types, and potential sources of anthropogenic beach litter in Sierra Leone. Beach litter surveys were conducted monthly at four sites over 11 months. A total of 72,901 litter items (1,246 kg dry weight) were categorised. Across all sites, an average of 1,657 items per 100 m (SD = 1,639) and 28.32 kg per 100 m (SD = 37.48) were recorded. Plastics accounted for 70% of the litter by count and 49% by weight. The three most abundant items by count were plastic bottles (25%), plastic caps and lids (13%), and plastic water sachets (12%). By weight, the three most abundant items were plastic bottles (36%), flip-flops (20%), and shoes (9%). Litter amounts decreased from wet to dry season. We provide the following policy recommendations: improving drinking water access and sanitation, waste management, infrastructure and behaviour change.
Lavelle, Stephanie
c785f953-758e-42f0-b06d-0b432faf505f
Preston-Whyte, Fiona
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Lamin, Paul
bbcb5e8a-26ed-43b8-ab8c-9963546b536a
Sankoh, Salieu Kabba
6016e4be-452c-41a3-9853-104564d6d142
Timbo, Isha
edf84cdf-7695-48da-af07-4fdf6aabfd58
Maes, Thomas
011165c9-9b6f-4d25-85df-3151b3742020
11 November 2024
Lavelle, Stephanie
c785f953-758e-42f0-b06d-0b432faf505f
Preston-Whyte, Fiona
1346f3ae-3745-4d68-a278-7862019729c6
Lamin, Paul
bbcb5e8a-26ed-43b8-ab8c-9963546b536a
Sankoh, Salieu Kabba
6016e4be-452c-41a3-9853-104564d6d142
Timbo, Isha
edf84cdf-7695-48da-af07-4fdf6aabfd58
Maes, Thomas
011165c9-9b6f-4d25-85df-3151b3742020
Lavelle, Stephanie, Preston-Whyte, Fiona, Lamin, Paul, Sankoh, Salieu Kabba, Timbo, Isha and Maes, Thomas
(2024)
Troubled water: tracing the plastic tide on Sierra Leone’s beaches.
Cambridge Prisms: Plastics, 2, [e28].
(doi:10.1017/plc.2024.27).
Abstract
This study provides the first investigation into quantities, types, and potential sources of anthropogenic beach litter in Sierra Leone. Beach litter surveys were conducted monthly at four sites over 11 months. A total of 72,901 litter items (1,246 kg dry weight) were categorised. Across all sites, an average of 1,657 items per 100 m (SD = 1,639) and 28.32 kg per 100 m (SD = 37.48) were recorded. Plastics accounted for 70% of the litter by count and 49% by weight. The three most abundant items by count were plastic bottles (25%), plastic caps and lids (13%), and plastic water sachets (12%). By weight, the three most abundant items were plastic bottles (36%), flip-flops (20%), and shoes (9%). Litter amounts decreased from wet to dry season. We provide the following policy recommendations: improving drinking water access and sanitation, waste management, infrastructure and behaviour change.
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troubled-water-tracing-the-plastic-tide-on-sierra-leones-beaches
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Accepted/In Press date: 1 June 2024
Published date: 11 November 2024
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Local EPrints ID: 502899
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/502899
PURE UUID: 3ee7e83c-8be4-488d-9491-7e76edb3a24b
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Date deposited: 11 Jul 2025 16:38
Last modified: 11 Jul 2025 16:38
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Contributors
Author:
Stephanie Lavelle
Author:
Fiona Preston-Whyte
Author:
Paul Lamin
Author:
Salieu Kabba Sankoh
Author:
Isha Timbo
Author:
Thomas Maes
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