VOLUME 19 NUMBER 1 (January to June 2026)

Quantification and characterization of macroplastics present in the mangrove ecosystem of SUCITAPPLAS, Surigao del Norte, Philippines

Despite variations in the surrounding land use and human disturbance, macroplastic pollution was observed in the mangrove forests in SUCITAPPLAS. Site-specific variations in plastic abundance, mass density, and composition were attributed to local human activity, hydrological processes, and environmental exposure. This study aimed to establish baseline data on macroplastic pollution in the mangrove ecosystem in SUCITAPPLAS, Surigao del Norte. The samples were collected in four sampling sites within the study area. The macroplastics (>25 mm in size) found on tree branches, roots and the forest floor within each quadrat were 100% collected through hand picking. All collected macroplastics were counted, cleaned, weighed, measured, and categorized. A total of 346 items of plastic with a combined weight of 9,002 grams and a cumulative measured length of 117,350 mm were recorded across the four sampling locations. Condona Island recorded the highest abundance (0.183 items/m²) and density (2.07 g/m2), while Lamangon Island had the lowest (abundance = 0.022 items/m²) and density (0.26 gm2). Beverage bottles, plastic bags, film fragments, and food wrappers were the most common macroplastics found across all sampling sites. Among these, film fragments has the highest count (120 items = 34.7%). The findings suggest that plastic pollution in mangrove forests is affected by localized human activities and environmental processes; however, the ubiquity of plastic debris across all sites highlights the natural trapping ability of mangrove ecosystems. These findings support improvements in community-level solid waste management, awarenss campaigns, and environmental education.