academia, and industry. and academia,

non-governmental organizations, organizations, non-governmental

tribes, agencies, local and

through partnerships with state state with partnerships through

the impacts of marine debris debris marine of impacts the

reduce and prevent, research,

has led U.S. federal efforts to to efforts federal U.S. led has

debris. Since 2006, the program program the 2006, Since debris.

marine of impacts adverse

investigate and prevent the the prevent and investigate

Program’s mission is to to is mission Program’s

The NOAA Marine Debris Debris Marine NOAA The

PROGRAM

? DEBRIS

DEBRIS

MARINE MARINE

MARINE MARINE

IS WHAT NOAA

of years. years. of

Plastics in the ocean can last for hundreds hundreds for last can ocean the in Plastics all over the world. world. the over all

from weathering and sun exposure. exposure. sun and weathering from Garbage patches exist in ocean gyres gyres ocean in exist patches Garbage

microplastics, less than 5 mm in length, length, in mm 5 than less microplastics,

throughout the ocean’s water column. column. water ocean’s the throughout

It can fragment into tiny pieces called called pieces tiny into fragment can It up mostly of tiny microplastics swirling swirling microplastics tiny of mostly up

ocean. the in biodegrade not does Plastic

WHAT IS made are They eye. naked the with

islands of trash that you can see easily easily see can you that trash of islands

may add to the problem. problem. the to add may

currents. These areas are not solid solid not are areas These currents.

intentional littering or improper disposal disposal improper or littering intentional

accumulates because of converging converging of because accumulates

places where there is good infrastructure, infrastructure, good is there where places

areas in the ocean where marine debris debris marine where ocean the in areas

the waste infrastructure to process it. In In it. process to infrastructure waste the

MARINE are patches” “Garbage origin. its from

plastic items, but many countries lack lack countries many but items, plastic

throughout the ocean, sometimes far far sometimes ocean, the throughout

consuming more and more single-use single-use more and more consuming

Currents and winds move marine debris debris marine move winds and Currents

debris in the ocean. Globally, we are are we Globally, ocean. the in debris

Plastic is the most common type of marine marine of type common most the is Plastic

DEBRIS PATCHES MARINE DEBRIS DEBRIS MARINE

Our ocean is polluted with a wide variety of marine debris, ranging from soda bottles GARBAGE

and plastic bags to derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels. PLASTIC Marine debris is defined as any persistent solid material ?that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes. A majority of the trash and debris on coasts comes from littering or dumping, where it washes down storm drains into rivers, and then into the sea. Marine debris also comes from boating and shoreline recreational activities such as picnicking on beaches. IMPACTS DEBRIS OF MARINE DEBRIS FACTS WORLDWIDE, MORE THAN INGESTION Animals mistakenly eat plastic and other debris. 200 ENTANGLEMENT & GHOSTFISHING SPECIES Marine life gets caught and killed in ghost nets, trapped ARE IMPACTED BY in derelict gear, and entangled in plastic bands and other ENTANGLEMENT marine debris.

HAZARD TO NAVIGATION AT LEAST Marine debris can be difficult to see in the ocean if it’s floating 1/3 OF ALL below the water’s surface. Encounters with large items at sea can result in costly vessel damage, either to its structure or SEABIRD through a tangled propeller or obstruct mechanical gears. SPECIES EAT DEBRIS HABITAT DAMAGE Heavy marine debris crushes sensitive habitat, such as coral reefs and sea grass. PACKING BANDS ARE RESPONSIBLE NON-NATIVE SPECIES FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE Marine debris transports alien and invasive species from one STELLER region to another. SEA LION ENTANGLEMENTS $$$ ECONOMIC COST IN ALASKA Communities lose a lot of money cleaning up trash, as well as the economic benefit of beach tourism and recreation. ALL SEA TURTLE SPECIES HOW EAT DEBRIS

YOU Facebook: www.facebook.com/ CAN HELP NOAAMarineDebris

GET INVOLVED and participate in local REDUCE the amount of waste you produce. Instagram & Twitter cleanups in your area. ! @NOAADebris REUSE items when you can. Choose reusable REMEMBER that our land and sea are items over disposable ones. Website connected. http://marinedebris.noaa.gov RECYCLE as much as possible! Bottles, cans, DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY cell phones, ink cartridges, and many other no matter where you are. items can be recycled.