Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

Marine debris and beach litter pose serious threats to the environment and coastal economies. This project examined the economic ramifications of marine debris and the public’s willingness to participate in mitigation. The specific objectives were to analyze the economic value of having a clean beach and to ask: why do people litter? This was accomplished first by collecting and summarizing existing research regarding the state of marine debris and the value of beaches in California. This information shaped a case study, which employed a survey tool to: (1) perform a contingent valuation to quantify the willingness of beach-goers to take part in cleaning the beach, as measured by their willingness to financially contribute to this goal and (2) ask questions meant to uncover some of the social issues associated with marine debris, such as why people litter at all. Armed with the knowledge of the value of a clean beach to the public, one can identify an efficient level of cleanup and maximize the net value of beaches to society. This information can also be used to identify whether litter is best managed at the source, or once it has made it into the environment. Of the 76 people surveyed, 60.5% were willing to pay a fee of at least $1 to go toward a cleanup effort. In addition, survey responses indicated that the top reason people litter is a lack of caring/respect. Improving the efficiency of marine debris management, whether economically or socially, can save money and more importantly help protect the ocean.