Marine debris from a home destroyed by Hurricane Sandy is removed from Barnegat Bay (Photo: Federal Emergency Management Agency.)
We are pleased to release the United States Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide! Developed in collaboration with other federal agencies, the Guide aims to improve preparedness for responding to marine debris after hurricanes and other disasters in coastal areas of the United States, including the Great Lakes and territories.
Learn More
Sustainable household alternatives to decrease marine debris (Photo: Sylvie Michel via Unsplash).
Tips to decrease your waste in 2024! The EPA estimates that on average, Americans generate 4.40 pounds of waste per person per day. That’s a lot of trash, but the good news is that because we are the problem, we can be the solution too! We’ve outlined some simple tips to start off the new year with new goals and less waste.
Learn More
Cover of the 2024 Marine Debris Calendar with Artwork by Magdalene F. (Grade 8, Florida), winner of the Annual NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest.
Happy New Year! The 2024 Marine Debris Calendar is now available for download. Our annual art contest aims to get students thinking about how marine debris impacts our ocean and Great Lakes, and what they can do to help. This year’s calendar features artwork from 13 students in kindergarten through eighth grade from 10 states, all winners of the “Keep the Sea Free of Debris” art contest.
Learn More
Plastics can fragment into small pieces, like the microplastics on this beach, and may never fully go away (Photo: NOAA).
Huge amounts of marine debris enter the ocean and Great Lakes every year, from large abandoned and derelict vessels and fishing gear, to plastic bottles, food wrappers, and other trash, and even tiny pieces of plastic that you can’t see with the human eye! But once our trash is in the ocean, what happens to it? How long does it last, and can we ever say that it’s gone?
Learn More |