Marine Debris Program e-Newsletter | June 2018

June 2018

Visitors explore the problem of plastic pollution at the Ocean Plastics Lab (Copyright BMBF/John Staples​).

In This Issue

Visit the Ocean Plastics Lab

CLOSING SOON: Marine Debris Creative Advocacy Competition

PSA Challenge Winners

Great Mangrove Cleanup

TRASH TALK Special Feature

50 Cleanups and Counting

Tips for Hurricane Season

Upcoming Cleanups

Quick Links

Marine Debris Website
Marine Debris Blog
MDMAP Toolbox
ADV InfoHub
Clearinghouse

Marine Debris Tracker Mobile Application

Tracker App Logo

Make a difference by using the Marine Debris Tracker app to record debris items you find.

Upcoming Cleanups

June 8
The Tropics
Eden Roc
Miami Beach, FL

June 8
Keep Puako Beautiful
Hapuna Beach
Waimea, Big Island, Hawaii

June 8
Surfrider Kauai
Donkey Beach
Kealia, Kauai, HI

June 8
Maui Ocean Center
Kahului Harbor and Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge
Maui, HI

June 8
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Pier 1
Brooklyn, New York, NY

June 8
Riverside Park Conservancy
Riverside Park
Manhattan, New York, NY

June 9
Save Our Shores
Cowell Beach
Santa Cruz, CA

June 9
Fort Lauderdale Beach Sweep
The Hub
Fort Lauderdale, FL

June 9
Ocean Hour
Bay Bluffs Park
Pensacola, FL

June 9
Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii
Magic Island
Honolulu, O'ahu, HI

June 9
Michigan City Parks Department
Duneland Beach
Michigan City, IN


June 9
Clean Gloucester
Cape Ann Lanes
Gloucester, MA

June 9
Kent Island Beach Cleanups
Terrapin Beach Park
Stevensville, MD

June 9
Pennsylvania DCNR
Beach 1
Erie, PA

June 9
Puget Soundkeeper
Locations across Washington

June 10
Surfrider San Francisco
Ocean Beach
San Francisco, CA

June 10
Surfrider Eastern Long Island
Ditch Plains Beach
Montauk, NY


June 12
Save the Bay
Fields Point Shoreline
Providence, RI

June 13
Clean Ocean Access
Second Beach
Middletown, RI

June 14
Washington State University Extension
Keystone Spit West State Park
Coupeville, WA

June 16
Save Our Shores
Asilomar State Beach
Pacific Grove, CA

June 16
Heal the Bay
Venice Beach Pier
Venice, CA

June 16
Keep Walpole Beautiful
Walpole, MA

June 16
Muskegon Save Our Shoreline
Pere Marquette Park
Muskegon, MI

June 16
SOLVE
Cannon Beach City Hall
Cannon Beach, OR

June 16
Metroparks Tacoma
Point Defiance Marina 
Tacoma, WA

June 17
Tybee Clean Beach
Marine Science Center
Tybee Island, GA

June 21
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Pier 1
Brooklyn, New York, NY


June 22
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Two Hearted State Forest River Campground
Newberry, MI


June 23
Ocean Hour
Beasley Beach Park
Fort Walton Beach, FL

June 23
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Margaret T. Burroughs Beach
Chicago, IL

June 24
Sharkastics
Kukona Place
Wailuku, Maui, HI

June 24
Western Michigan University
Holland State Park
Holland, MI


June 30
Pacifica Beach Coalition
Pillar Point Beach
Half Moon Bay, CA

June 30
I Love a Clean San Diego
Camino del Rio
San Diego, CA

June 30
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Buffalo Harbor State Park
Buffalo, NY

July 5
Mississippi Coastal Cleanup
Several locations in coastal Mississippi

July 5
Roads End Improvement Association
Roads End Beach
Lincoln City, OR

July 5
GrassRoots Garbage Gang
Long Beach Peninsula
Long Beach, WA

July 5
Puget Soundkeeper
Lake Union
Seattle, WA



Can't make it to a listed cleanup? Organize your own and use the Marine Debris Tracker!

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Website & Blog

Visit the Ocean Plastics Lab

Brussels OPL
A school class at the Oceans Plastic Lab in Brussels (Copyright BMBF/John Staples).


Get your hands on the problem of plastic pollution with The Ocean Plastics Lab in Washington, DC! Perfect for all ages, the lab explores the role of science to understand and find solutions to the problem of plastics in the ocean in an interactive outdoor exhibit.

Visit the FREE travelling exhibit from June 4-17 on the National Mall, and learn how even the smallest actions can make a big difference to prevent this daunting problem!

Learn More


Closing Soon: Creative Advocacy Competition

Bow Seat Competition 1
Students from Irvine, California pose with "Maurice the Marine Debris Whale," an interactive sculpture created to educate the public about marine debris impacts on marine wildlife (Photo: Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs).


Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs is wrapping up its second Marine Debris Creative Advocacy Competition for U.S. middle and high school students! Funded by a NOAA Marine Debris Program Prevention grant, this competition serves as a fun and exciting way for students to actively take part in preventing marine debris by carrying out real-world projects. Make sure to get your entries in by the June 18th deadline for this year's competition!

Learn More 


Winners of the Ohio Marine Debris Challenge

First and Second place with Kaptur
First and second place winners of the Ohio Marine Debris Challenge pose with Congresswoman Kaptur (Photo: NOAA).


The NOAA Marine Debris Program is excited to announce the winners of the third annual Ohio Marine Debris Challenge! This contest is open every year to students in grades 9-12 in Ohio’s Lake Erie coastal communities. Winning teams were recognized last week for their marine debris public service announcement videos at an awards ceremony at Cedar Point Amusement Park, and were given recognition by members of Congress. 

Learn More


The Great Mangrove Cleanup

Great Mangrove Cleanup
All Hands and Heart volunteer remove debris from black mangroves in the St. Thomas East End Reserves.


On April 21, 2018, a group of 126 volunteers removed more than 3,000 pounds of marine debris in the “Great Mangrove Cleanup,” the first large-scale community cleanup in the St. Thomas East End Reserves (STEER), a marine protected area on the east end of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Among the debris was over 1,700 plastic beverage bottles, nearly 600 pieces of foam, 55 shoes, and even two fire extinguishers!

Learn More


Regional Emmy® Award-Winning TRASH TALK

Trash Talk Special Feature


Don’t you think it’s time we all have an honest trash talk? Ocean Today, in partnership with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, presents Regional Emmy® Award-winning TRASH TALK, a 15-minute special feature on marine debris for World Ocean Day. It is specially designed to be part of your World Ocean Day festivities and beyond. 

Learn More


GrassRoots Garbage Gang: 50 Cleanups and Counting

Grassroots Garbage Gang
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan (NOAA Administrator at the time) with Shelly Pollock and Russ Lewis from the Grassroots Garbage Gang, following a marine debris event and cleanup in 2016 (Photo: NOAA).


In April the GrassRoots Garbage Gang celebrated their 50th community-organized beach cleanup, representing a remarkable achievement. Since 2000, the dedicated volunteers of the Grassroots Garbage Gang have removed hundreds of tons of marine debris from the Long Beach Peninsula on the coast of Washington. 

Learn More


Are You Ready for Hurricane Season?

Katrina Debris
Make sure to plan ahead and secure your belongings to reduce the amount of storm-related marine debris (Photo: NOAA).


Strong winds, rains, and storm surge can not only be dangerous, but can sweep large amounts of debris into the ocean. As we head into hurricane season, keep these tips in mind to help prevent and decrease storm-generated debris.

Learn More