Analyzing the behavior of beachgoers in the city of Lima and their relationship with potential plastic emissions

Beach littering is a source of marine plastic waste accumulation. This is particularly so in overcrowded beaches in the Global South in which cleaning measures are scarce or sporadic and lack of waste management systems can increase plastic release. In the current study we focus on the importance of the behavior shown by beachgoers and how their conduct relates to the amount of plastic that potentially ends up entering littoral ecosystems. Transportation services to beaches, sports, food, and beverage containers are analyzed through a 24-question survey performed to 500 beachgoers in 4 beaches (i.e., Venecia, Punta Negra, Punta Hermosa and San Bartolo) located in the megacity of Lima, Peru, in February 2022. The data obtained were then processed to understand the differences in behavior across different beaches. Moreover, a K-means algorithm was used to identify representative beachgoer profiles. The results showed a dichotomous behavior between two groups of beaches, in which the size group of beachgoers, transportation mode, accommodation, food consumption patterns or the use of reusable containers are some of the main differences between the two groups. No major differences were identified in terms of age distribution across the different beaches, but group sizes were higher in Punta Negra and Villa El Salvador. The K-means algorithm suggests that the surveyed population can be grouped into three main categories, of which two correspond mainly to higher socioeconomic beachgoers in the beaches of Punta Hermosa and San Bartolo. Overall, single use plastic for food and beverages appears as one of the main sources of plastic pollution across beaches and groups, although other sources of plastic emission should not be underestimated. Finally, the three beachgoer profiles identified are useful to implement targeted policies to minimize the environmental impacts of these profiles.