ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the status of marine debris, mainly particulate marine plastics, in Sri Lanka and probable research gaps that can be filled in the future in order to enhance policy. In Sri Lanka, major debris input to the beaches come from the mouths of rivers. Local governmental authorities are responsible for the regulation of land-based wastes and their management. The total marine litter status of Sri Lanka has not been evaluated to date. Plastic waste and its typologies are not being monitored properly, and there is an acute need to understand different types of marine litter to reduce its accumulation. Marine debris from fisheries also comprised 18% of the debris. Plastics composed 79% of the total material, which is similar to the worldwide situation. Tourism is another major cause of accumulation of marine plastic debris. Marine litter in Sri Lanka has a wide range of substances created from land-based, beach-, or ocean-based production.
