• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2011

A study on the occurrence and movement of marine debris is required for protecting the marine environment and ecosystem from marine pollution. The aim of this study is to show annual production and movement characteristics through analysis for the flow path, composition and the sources of marine debris. This study analyzed the distribution and characteristics of marine debris collected in the region of $100\;m{\times}20\;m$($=2,000\;m^2$) at the Daekwang Beach in the Yellow Sea. During the collection period from 2008 to 2010, the total weight of the marine debris was 1,445 kg in this site. The most marine debris was plastic amounting to 46.5% of the whole collection; the rest were styrofoam(20%) and wooden material(12.6%). The amount of marine debris mused from foreign country observed 155.5 kg, more than 90% of them was plastic came from China such as buoys. Additionally, this study analyzed seasonal change if marine environment to understand occurrence amount change if marine debris. 2009 and 2010 was high occurrence ratio in season that the north wind is very strong and the occurrence rate appeared highest by 40% in the summer(July) of 2008 that appeared westbound tidal current. Overall, marine Debris mused from foreign country was high occurrence ratio in January, May and then November has a lot of quantity secondly. While, occurrence ratio was the highest by 46% summer(July) in 2008, but in 2009 and 2010 showed the lowest rate to 4%.