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A total of 5993 litter items divided into 13 categories were found at 25 beaches located along the Atlantico Department coastline, Caribbean of Colombia, with an average litter abundance of 7 items/m. Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC), Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were applied with the objective of highlighting similarities and contrasts between litter categories and abundances. Results indicated two specific groups of beaches in terms of amounts of litter. The first group is composed of 17 “dirty beaches” (urban, resort and village) while the second group includes 8 “clean beaches” (village and resort). This division was confirmed by means of the EA/NALG (2000) grading system, which highlighted that 68% of beaches belonging to the Atlantico Department coastline are in an unacceptable condition of cleanness. Current patterns of litter abundance and accumulation are related to sources as well as beach characteristics such as degree of exposition and morphodynamic state.

The growing literature on microplastics (MPs) in coastal and marine environs reflects the seriousness of this pollutant category. Diverse litter studies on Colombia's Central Caribbean Coast have not presented detailed study of MPs' typology, magnitude or distribution. This baseline study presents for first time the MPs problem on 23 beaches in 75 km coastal reach between Punta Roca and Galerazamba, on the central Colombian Caribbean Coast. The Microplastics Pollution Index (MPPI) and Coefficient of Microplastic Impact (CMPI) were developed and applied along with the Environmental Status Index (ESI) and their integration through sector analysis, and mapping using Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering and Multidimensional Scaling, and Principal Components Analysis. Microplastics abundances (densities) ranged from 2457 to 557 MPs/kg, similar to other global beaches and bays. The MPs Index for the 23 beaches classified 8 beaches as “Moderate,” 10 beaches as “High” and 5 as “Very High.” Microplastic fibers were the dominant typology at 83% of the combined beaches total (ranging from Moderate to Very High for individual beaches).

Along 24 beaches of the Central Caribbean Coast of Colombia, plastic items were collected and grouped into 43 different typologies. The average plastic abundance was 4.54 items/m2 being eight typologies responsible for 82% of all plastic collected. The application of the Clean Coast Index (CCI) and the Plastic Abundance Index (PAI) allows categorization of the study area as "Extremely Dirty" coastal strip with a "Very High Abundance" of plastics. Beaches were statistically grouped into three specific types: moderate, bad and extremely bad environmental conditions. The typology and magnitudes of plastics found in the study area suggest a combination of sources that primarily include dumping and direct activities on the beach. Plastic medical and sanitary waste, ocean/waterway items, and plastic items related to smoking-related activities also were observed.

Along twenty-five beaches belonging to the Atlantico Department, Colombia Caribbean coast, the litter impacts over cleanliness and environmental status were determined. A total of 5993 litter items, divided into 13 categories, were found with an average litter abundance of 3.5 items/m. Plastic and polystyrene dominated the samples with 58% (Avg: 1.97 items/m) and 30% (Avg: 1 items/m), while rubber, textile, paper, processed wood, metal, glass, biohazards, fishing gear, organic, mix, and other items reached 13%. Characteristics of these items in the study area allow recognition of three main litter sources: i) riverine related litter, ii) litter related to direct activities developed on beaches and iii) litter related to fishing. Litter amounts placed most of the beaches into the status of unacceptable conditions of cleanness, and in a mediocre to bad environmental status. In general terms, beaches along the study area can be divided into two specific groups. Eight beaches compose a group of sites in optimal environmental conditions (village and resort), while a second group includes 17 beaches with bad environmental conditions (urban, resort and remote). Urgent efforts are necessary to improve and conserve beaches of the Atlantico Department, and the typology of solutions sugguested can be divided into four general approaches: Prevention, Mitigation, Removal and Behavior Change. Better environmental quality can be reached if the people in the Atlantico Department coastline as well as all of Colombia shift mindsets and behavior towards producing less waste and improving anti-littering practices.