Quantification and Characterization of Plastic Litter in Slipways from the Port of Ostend, Belgium.

The dataset contains plastic data collected in July and August 2021 at the port of Ostend, Belgium, on four slipways (the Marine Station of Ostend - MSO, Fisheries, Ferry, and Eastern stretch dam slipways). Plastic type, count, weight, brand sources, accumulation rate, and polymer content are reported, following the OSPAR commission guidelines for monitoring marine litter for the classification of observed and (hand) collected items. An initial assessment of the standing stock was done, followed by an accumulation survey, done twice in each location, at a two-week interval. A randomly selected subsample was analyzed for the brand audit. In the laboratory, the polymer content of a randomly selected subsample of plastic items was analyzed, using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).