Plastic Pollution Abundance and Tourist Usage along Coastal Areas in the Independent Republic of Cyprus

Abstract

The Independent Republic of Cyprus, located in the far eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea, has seen a sharp influx of tourism since joining the European Union in 2004. This small island hosts considerable biodiversity, especially in regards to marine life. Terrestrial derived plastic waste over this period has become a hazard for aquatic organisms throughout this portion of the Mediterranean. An evaluation of twelve beach sites, across four different beach-goer demographics, revealed which beach use regime requires the most effort to keep litter-free. At each site, all forms of macroplastic were collected, counted, and categorized along 200 meter transects, approximately 30 meters in width. Each beach was coded in terms of the province it resides in, user-residency, cleanup methods used, and abundance of plastic-related waste present. Analysis using Geographic Information Systems and RStudio software, revealed a positive correlation between the primary use of beaches by tourists, and plastic waste abundance. Suggestions for improvement included.