MARINE DEBRIS MARINE DEBRIS

Reducing marine debris 

means reducing the 

amount of waste generated 

on land and at sea, and 

disposing of it properly. 

Volunteer coastal cleanups 

and public education efforts 

can help reduce the 

amount of debris in our 

waterways and coastlines. 

In 2004, over 158,000 

people across the U.S. 

participated in beach 

cleanups. These cleanup 

efforts removed almost four 

million pounds of debris 

from more than 8,000 

miles of coasts, shorelines, 

and underwater sites.

Recycling and proper 

disposal can significantly 

reduce the amounts of 

marine debris reaching 

oceans and coastal waters. 

A great deal more can be 

done. You can be part of 

the solution. 

Marine debris is a problem along shorelines, and in

coastal waters, estuaries, and oceans throughout the world.  

Marine debris is any man‐made, solid material that enters

our waterways either directly or indirectly.  Marine debris

enters our oceans and coasts from a number of land‐ and

ocean‐based sources.  More people move near our Nation’s

coasts each year, and the production of trash and the

potential for marine debris continues to increase.  We need

to better control the disposal of trash and other wastes, or

we will continue to find marine debris in our rivers,

streams, and oceans.

WHAT DOES MARINE DEBRIS DO 

TO THE ENVIRONMENT?

 Trash on the beach can be harmful 

to the health and safety of beach 

users. It also makes the beach look 

ugly and dirty. Dirty beaches 

discourage visitors and cause local 

beach communities to lose money 

from tourism or to spend money on 

cleanup efforts. 

 Many types of animals, like seals, 

sea turtles, birds, fish, and crabs, 

can be wounded, strangled, or 

unable to swim if they consume or 

become entangled in marine debris.

 Marine animals can swallow marine 

debris causing suffocation or 

starvation. Sea birds have been 

known to swallow small plastic 

pieces (which look like fish eggs); 

and sea turtles have been known to 

swallow clear plastic bags (which 

look like jellyfish). 

WHAT IS MARINE DEBRIS?

 Marine debris is trash and other 

solid material that enter oceans and 

coastal waters and often end up on 

our beaches. It is also known as 

litter. 

 Common types of marine debris 

include plastic bags, bottles and 

cans, cigarette filters, bottle caps, 

and lids.

WHERE DOES MARINE DEBRIS 

COME FROM?

 When trash is not recycled or 

properly thrown away on land, it can 

become marine debris. For 

example, trash in the streets can 

wash into sewers, storm drains, or 

inland rivers and streams when it 

rains and can be carried to oceans 

and coastal waters.

 People who go to the beach 

sometimes leave behind trash. 

 Recreational and commercial 

fishermen sometimes lose or 

discard large fishing nets and lines 

in the ocean.

 Ships and recreational boats at sea 

sometimes intentionally or 

accidentally dump trash directly into 

the ocean. Trash from boats may 

be thrown, dropped, or blown 

overboard.
WHAT IS EPA DOING TO 

PREVENT MARINE DEBRIS?

 EPA and other stakeholders 

support the establishment and 

maintenance of the annual 

International Coastal Cleanup 

(ICC). It is an initiative of The 

Ocean Conservancy, a non-profit 

organization. The campaign 

currently involves 50 U.S. states 

and territories and 88 countries 

from around the world. The ICC is 

the largest volunteer 

environmental data-gathering 

effort and cleanup of coastal and 

underwater areas in the world. 

Thousands of participants learn 

the value of controlling marine 

debris. The ICC takes place on 

the third Saturday in September 

every year. 

 EPA, along with other Federal 

agencies, helped to design the 

National Marine Debris Monitoring 

Program (NMDMP); EPA is 

supporting The Ocean 

Conservancy's implementation of 

this program. The NMDMP 

gathers scientific marine debris 

data to identify trends in the 

amounts of marine debris affecting 

the U.S. coastline and to 

determine the main sources of the 

debris. 

 EPA scientists have conducted 

 numerous studies to identify types 

 of marine debris and their sources. 

 EPA also focuses control efforts on 

 specific sources such as street litter, 

 storm water runoff, and industrial 

 wastewater, and supports recycling 

 programs. 

HOW CAN I OBTAIN MORE 

INFORMATION? 

 Visit our website at 

www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris . 

 Contact the Oceans and Coastal 

Protection Division at 202-566-1200.

Office of Water

Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. (Mail Code 4504T), Washington, D.C. 20460

EPA-842-F-05-001i

October 2005