Coastal plastic pollution: A global perspective.

Coastal ecosystems have ecological importance worldwide and require control and prevention measures to mitigate human pollution. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review to provide a comprehensive overview of the global issue of coastal plastic pollution. 689 articles were eligible for qualitative synthesis and 31 were considered for quantitative analysis. There was an exponential increase in articles addressing coastal plastic pollution over the past 50 years. Studies were mainly carried out on beaches, and plastic bottles were the most found item, followed by cigarette butts. Polyethylene was the predominant plastic polymer, and white microplastic fragments stood out. China published most articles on the topic and Brazil had the highest number of sites sampled. Meta-analysis had significant effect sizes based on the reported data. These findings carry significant implications for environmental policies, waste management practices, and targeted awareness campaigns aimed at mitigating plastic pollution. [Display omitted] • Plastic bottles are the most found plastic items in coastal areas worldwide. • Polyethylene is the most prevalent typology of plastic in coastal environments. • Microplastics account for about 60 % of the plastics found in coastal zones • Exponential growth in publications on coastal plastic pollution after 1971 • Standardizing studies on plastic presence in the environment is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]