| Abstrak/Abstract |
The Hazardous Item Index is a new tool for the evaluation and assessment of actual coastal conditions, cleanliness, and hazardous items from marine debris. The Hazardous Item Index quantifies the likelihood of hazardous marine debris, which may be toxic or sharp, impacting beach activities. The Hazardous Item Index incorporates various factors, including toxicity, durability, and the likelihood of ingestion by marine organisms. Application of the Hazardous Item Index provides a comprehensive understanding of the hazardous nature of marine debris, facilitating more effective management strategies in coastal areas. The Hazardous Item Index is the tool for the future to present quantitative measures of coastal hazards from marine debris, increase public awareness, and thus further efforts to maintain coastal cleanliness. The Hazardous Item Index can hopefully be used as a new approach for measuring progress and can contribute to education campaigns, enforcement actions, media coverage, and suggestions to the government for better coastal management, especially for marine debris problems. |
