With Alaska's extensive, rugged and remote coastline, longer than the rest of the United States combined, innovative and creative approaches are required to address marine debris. Join us to learn about types of marine debris of all shapes and sizes, as well as projects that are being undertaken in Alaska by NOAA and community partners to conduct marine debris research, removal, and prevention

Marine debris comes in different sizes and poses a range of threats to parks, including damage to coastal habitats and risks to animals from entanglement or ingestion, as well as potential impacts from toxic contamination.

California has led the way with 100% full trash capture TMDLs. Watch this webinar to find out what we can learn from their regulations to help reduce the amount of trash that gets into waterways.

The International Coastal Clean-up shows us that Texas, Idaho, Illinois and many of the urbanized mid-Atlantic states stand out as having particularly high debris loads, along with several states on the Gulf coast.

Marine debris isn't an ocean problem - it's a people problem. That means people are the solution. And, tackling the problem of plastic in the ocean begins on land. Although it may seem daunting, there are simple actions we can take to reduce waste and prevent debris. If you're feeling crafty, here are some DIY projects that will transform plastic into something you can use in your home or garden.

Our ocean and the array of species that call it home are succumbing to the poison of plastic. Examples abound, from the gray whale that died after stranding near Seattle in 2010 with more than 20 plastic bags, a golf ball, and other rubbish in its stomach to the harbor seal pup found dead on the Scottish island of Skye, its intestines fouled by a small piece of plastic wrapper. According to the United Nations, at least 800 species worldwide are affected by marine debris, and as much as 80 percent of that litter is plastic.

Where do we stand concerning the research on the effects of plastic on the human body? What can we conclude from today's talks? What should be the next steps for both research and policy? In this closing session of the Plastic Health Summit, we will reiterate the answers to preliminary questions regarding plastic and human health and give you a summary of the world's first Plastic Health Summit.

Scientists Accidentally Discovered A Plastic Eating Enzyme That Could Revolutionize Recycling: An international team of scientists have accidentally enhanced a plastic eating enzyme in a discovery that could change our relationship with plastic forever. The breakthrough, if scaled up, could lead to plastic being broken down into its original components and formed into plastic items again, removing the need for making more of the material.

This resource provides data (including charts) on a variety of plastic pollution topics, such as "cumulative global plastics production, decomposition rates of marine debris items, plastic waste generated by coastal populations, surface plastic particles by ocean basin," and much more.

What do a tropical island in the Pacific Ocean and the Antarctic have in common? Unfortunately, it's marine debris. Even the most remote locations on Earth are fouled by man-made garbage and cast-outs. And a majority of the debris that's found comes from land-based sources.