What is marine debris?

Litter such as plastic detergent bottles, crates, buoys, combs, and water bottles blanket Kanapou Bay, on the Island of Kaho‘olawe in Hawai‘i. This region is a hot-spot for marine debris accumulation. Because of its remote location, removal is difficult, resulting in beaches that look more like a landfill (Credit: NOAA).

Our ocean is filled with items that do not belong there. Huge amounts of plastics, metals, rubber, paper, textiles, lost fishing gear, abandoned boats, and other items enter the marine environment every day. All of these are marine debris, which is anything human-made and solid that is lost or littered in the ocean or Great Lakes. Our trash has been found in every corner of our ocean, from the most remote shorelines, to ice in the Arctic, and even the deepest parts of the sea floor.

Some of the most common and harmful types of marine debris are made of plastic, such as cigarette butts, plastic bags, food wrappers, and lost fishing gear. Marine debris can range from tiny plastic pieces that can be too small to be seen with the human eye, to huge abandoned boats, construction materials, and household appliances. Although some of these items may eventually break down, plastics may remain in the environment forever.

plastics in the Ocean Infographic — Plastics are the most common form of marine debris. They can come from a variety of land and ocean-based sources, enter the water in many ways, and impact the ocean and Great Lakes. Once in the water, plastic debris never fully biodegrades (Credit: NOAA). View and print this infographic and see the description below.

Infographic Description

Commonly found Plastics include cigarette butts, food wrappers, beverage bottles, straws, cups & plates, bottle caps, and single-use bags.

How to help? Reduce, reuse, recycle. Dispose of waste properly no matter where you are. Get involved and participate in local cleanups in your area. Remember that our land and sea are connected.

Impacts include:

Entanglement: Marine life can get caught and killed in derelict fishing nets and other plastic debris.
Ingestion: Animals can easily mistake plastic debris for food.

Sources include:

Boats/nets: Fishing gear can become marine debris when it is lost or abandoned.
Littering: Intentional littering or improper disposal of trash can cause marine debris.

Debris can enter the water via:

Rain & winds: Rain and wind can sweep debris into nearby water bodies.
Streams & storm drains: Streams and storm drains can carry debris directly into the ocean or Great Lakes.

Microplastics are small plastics less than 5mm. They can come from large plastics breaking down, or can be produced as small plastics such as microbeads, which can be found in products such as toothpaste and face wash.