Ten Tips for Marine Debris Prevention

Trash in Our Ocean Kills Hundreds of Thousands of Birds, Fish and Marine Mammals Every Year Through Ingestion and Entanglement

Ten simple ways you can help keep our ocean free from dangerous debris

Media Contact: Kelly Shall

“Choices that we make everyday can have a significant impact on our ocean, from responsible seafood choices to disposing of trash properly,” said Vikki Spruill, President and CEO of the Ocean Conservancy. “We all have a role to play in the stewardship of our ocean and these ten simple actions will help us prevent trash and debris from our ocean and harming marine life.”

Ten Things You Can Do to Help Prevent Marine Debris

1. Join the Ocean Conservancy’s 22nd annual International Coastal Cleanup on September 15th.
   
   
2. Clean up your trash, even when not near the water. It’s amazing that a vast majority of trash in our waterways comes from land-based activities. Even trash discarded miles inland can make it to the ocean, carried by the rain and the winds.
   
   
3. Retrieve your monofilament fishing line. Don’t leave fishing line in the water and remove others’ when you find it...being careful not to tug on snagged lines that could be caught on important habitat below the surface.
   
   
4. Contain and properly clean spills when boating. Use oil-absorbent rags or even diapers to clean spills. The Ocean Conservancy’s Good Mate program can provide you with plenty of tips for reducing boaters’ impact when on the water.
   
   
5. Recycle used motor oil and oil filters. Your local gas station should have facilities for recycling these materials. Never pour oil, paint, antifreeze, or other household chemical into an open sewer.
   
   
6. Better yet, find alternatives to household chemicals. Don’t use fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides that can wash into open waters. Use lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda for household cleaning.
   
   
7. Become a storm drain sentry. Stencil your local drains to remind people where the things they dump there end up...and of the potential consequences.
   
   
8. Use cloth bags for groceries. Take them with you when you shop to reduce the number of plastic bags you use. In addition to being ugly, plastic bags can choke marine wildlife when mistaken for food.
   
   
9. Properly dispose of used batteries and electronics. Use your local recycling center. Electronics leach harmful chemicals into the environment. Once there, these toxic pollutants can affect the environment for decades.
   
   
10. Contact your elected representatives. Let them know you care about the effects of marine debris and that you are watching what they do to stop it. Then, vote for candidates who support marine debris prevention and are good stewards of our ocean.

Download the full 2006 International Coastal Cleanup report including state and country totals, and access photos from past events and graphics of the data.