RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS

The principle purpose of this report is to provide recommendations, advice and practical guidance, for the establishment of programmes to monitor and assess the distribution and abundance of plastic litter, also referred to as plastic debris, in the ocean. The intention is to promote a more harmonised approach to the design of sampling programmes, the selection of appropriate indicators (i.e. type of sample), the collection of samples or observations, the characterisation of sampled material, dealing with uncertainties, data analysis and reporting the results and also to inform the establishment of national and regional field monitoring programmes.

Marine debris is a pervasive pollution problem that impacts all corners of the globe. Sometimes, debris ends up in places that require innovative thinking in order to remove. Check out some of these projects that implemented unique or developed best management practices for removing debris from the environment.  

Marine debris is a persistent problem in many coastal areas of the United States. There are a variety of potential economic losses associated with marine debris, including effects on commercial fisheries, effects on waterfront property values, costs incurred by local governments and volunteer organizations to remove and dispose of marine debris, and more general “existence” values reflecting the public’s preference for a clean environment. This study evaluates two types of economic loss that result from the effects of marine debris on beach recreation: the loss of recreational value to beach visitors, and the regional economic impact from reduced spending on beach visits in a particular region.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program has developed standardized, statistically valid methodologies for conducting rapid assessments of the debris material type and quantity present in a monitored location. The monitoring guidelines in this document focus on abundance, types, and concentration on shorelines, in surface waters, during visual surveys at sea, and in the benthos.

The purpose of this project was to quantify microplastic loads at single sites on selected beaches at a continental scale to better understand microplastic distribution. Six sites were sampled in the Great Lakes Region.