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Updated July 3, 2024
Marine Debris: NOAA’s Role
Researchers have found marine debris, especially plastic
Figure 1. Marine Debris on a Hawaiian Shoreline
items, to have some effects on humans, wildlife, and the
environment, but the extent of these impacts is currently
unclear. Congress has directed the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or the Secretary of
Commerce (through NOAA) to lead federal government
efforts to address marine debris and has enacted additional
marine debris-related legislation in recent years. Members
of Congress periodically consider directing NOAA and
other federal agencies to take additional action to prevent
and address marine debris, domestically and internationally.
What Is Marine Debris?
Congress has defined marine debris, also known as marine
litter and anthropogenic debris, to include “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
Source: NOAA Marine Debris Program.
the Great Lakes” (33 U.S.C. §1956). Marine debris can be
made of plastic, glass, metal, or wood. Plastic is the most
Sources of Marine Debris
abundant type of marine debris in shoreline and oceanic
Marine debris originates from ocean- or land-based sources.
surveys. Plastic debris comes in a range of sizes and types,
However, determining the exact source of an item can be
from tiny pieces (microplastics) to larger items, such as
difficult. Ocean-based sources primarily include derelict
food wrappers, bottles, bags, foam materials, and fishing
fishing gear (e.g., nets, lines), abandoned and derelict
gear (macroplastics).
vessels and structures, and equipment or waste released
from at-sea vessels and structures. Some countries also may
NOAA identifies microplastics as plastic particles less than
allow the disposal of municipal and industrial waste directly
5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in size, including nanoplastics,
into the ocean, although the practice is prohibited or
which are less than 1 micrometer. Microplastics can be
regulated in many developed countries.
categorized as primary or secondary. Primary microplastics
are manufactured as microbeads, capsules, fibers, nurdles,
Mismanaged land-based waste has found pathways to
or pellets and are used in cosmetics, personal care products,
marine environments as well. Mismanaged waste generally
industrial products, and synthetic textiles. Secondary
includes littering or inadequate disposal (i.e., disposal in an
microplastics form through the degradation and
open dump or a poorly contained landfill). The United
fragmentation of larger plastic items.
States and other developed countries have laws prohibiting
such practices; however, some countries lack such laws or
Location of Marine Debris
have low observance of the laws. Rain can wash litter and
Marine debris has been recorded in numerous marine
poorly managed wastes into storm ditches and drains,
environments extending from the ocean surface to the sea
discharging it to rivers and streams that may provide a
floor, including shorelines (Figure 1), coral reefs, polar
pathway to the ocean. Some researchers have found that
regions, and estuaries. Marine debris has also been found
rivers act as major transport pathways for waste into the
within oceanic garbage patches—areas of rotating ocean
ocean. Extreme natural events (i.e., flooding, tsunamis,
currents that can accumulate dense concentrations of
mudslides, or hurricanes) also may create debris or carry it
marine debris. A dynamic combination of factors influences
into nearby waterways. There may be other sources of land-
local accumulation, including marine debris size and
based debris that are more difficult to identify. For
density, proximity to human population centers, ocean
example, studies have found that some wastewater
currents, and wind. These factors also make it difficult to
treatment plants discharge microplastics. How much debris
determine an item’s provenance or establish an accurate
is discharged, what amount reaches the ocean, and its
estimate of the total mass of marine debris currently in or
original source may be uncertain.
entering the marine environment. For example, NOAA’s
estimate of the total number of pieces of plastic on the U.S.
Impacts on Humans, Wildlife, and the Environment
shoreline in 2017 ranged from as few as 20 million pieces
According to NOAA, marine debris has varying effects on
to as many as 1.9 billion pieces, a near 100-fold difference.
humans, wildlife, and the environment; however, many
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Marine Debris: NOAA’s Role
aspects are poorly understood. Debris at the water’s surface
“encourage technological innovation with the
can cause navigation and boating hazards, whether through
potential to reduce plastic waste” and associated
damage to vessels on impact or via tangled propellers and
pollution, and authorizes up to $1 million for the
clogged intake pipes. Shoreline communities with high
effort (Subtitle C);
amounts of marine debris may experience adverse
3. directs NOAA, Department of Commerce leadership,
economic effects on local tourism. Some researchers have
or the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating
found microplastics in food items and in the air and soil,
Committee (IMDCC) to report on or study various
although the effects on human health are still unknown.
marine debris-related issues, including innovative
uses of plastic waste (§131), microfiber pollution
Wildlife may become entangled in marine debris and, as a
(§132), U.S. plastic pollution data (§133), sources
result, can experience injury, illness, suffocation, starvation,
and impacts of derelict fishing gear (§135), and
and death. Wildlife also are at risk of ingesting marine
expansion of derelict vessel recycling (§136); and
debris, which may lead to starvation, internal injury, and
blockage; it also may provide a pathway for toxic
4. directs the Under Secretary of Commerce to establish
constituents associated with certain types of marine debris,
a pilot program to assess incentives for fishermen to
such as plastics, to be absorbed by wildlife. According to
collect and dispose of marine debris (§137).
NOAA, marine debris may negatively affect individual
SOS 2.0 also directs several other federal agencies
organisms, but its impacts on populations and communities
(National Institute of Standards and Technology; U.S.
remain unclear. Marine debris may cause habitat
Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]; and Department
degradation to varying degrees, including by providing
of State) to support marine debris research, prevention,
transport to non-native and invasive species.
removal, and beneficial use efforts in various ways.
NOAA’s Role
NOAA may also address marine debris under other
In 2006, Congress enacted the Marine Debris Research,
authorities, including the Coastal Zone Management Act
Prevention, and Reduction Act (P.L. 109-449; 33 U.S.C.
(16 U.S.C. §§1451 et seq.), Endangered Species Act (16
§§1951 et seq.). The act has been amended several times,
U.S.C. §§1531 et seq.), Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
including by the Marine Debris Act Amendments of 2012
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. §§1801 et
(P.L. 112-213, which renamed the act to the Marine Debris
seq.), Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. §§1361 et
Act), the Save Our Seas Act of 2018 (SOS Act of 2018;
seq.), National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. §§1431
P.L. 115-265), and the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act (SOS 2.0;
et seq.), and National Sea Grant College Program Act (33
P.L. 116-224) in 2020. P.L. 117-263, enacted in 2022, made
U.S.C. §§1121 et seq.), among others.
changes to the authorization of appropriations for NOAA’s
Marine Debris Program (MDP) as well.
Congress has appropriated funding for marine debris
activities through annual and supplemental appropriations
The Marine Debris Act, as amended, is NOAA’s primary
laws. For example, Congress appropriated $6.4 million to
authority related to marine debris and establishes NOAA’s
MDP in FY2024 via P.L. 118-42. Congress also provided
MDP to “identify, determine sources of, assess, prevent,
$200 million for NOAA’s marine debris activities over five
reduce, and remove marine debris and to address the
years through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
adverse effects of marine debris on the [U.S. economy], the
(P.L. 117-58), and additional funding in P.L. 117-169,
marine environment, and navigation safety.” According to
commonly known as the Inflation Reduction Act.
NOAA, the MDP achieves its mission through six program
pillars: prevention, removal, research, monitoring and
Interagency Coordination
detection, response, and coordination.
The Marine Debris Act established the IMDCC (33 U.S.C.
§1954), with NOAA as chair. The IMDCC coordinates
SOS 2.0 amended the Marine Debris Act to increase the
federal agency activities and makes recommendations on
authorization of appropriations for the MDP to $15 million
research priorities, monitoring, and regulatory action. The
for certain activities and to direct the Secretary of
Marine Debris Act requires the IMDCC to include senior
Commerce to work with heads of other federal agencies to
officials from NOAA, the Departments of the Interior and
combat marine debris by increasing innovation in methods
State, EPA, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Navy. The
and effectiveness of efforts (§101). SOS 2.0 also directs
act provides the Secretary of Commerce the discretion to
NOAA to fulfill a variety of new responsibilities (codified
invite representatives from other federal entities; these
at 33 U.S.C. §§4201 et seq.). The law
currently include the Departments of Energy and Justice;
Marine Mammal Commission; National Aeronautics and
1. establishes the Marine Debris Foundation (MDF), to
Space Administration; National Science Foundation; and
support NOAA’s marine debris activities and other
U.S. Agency for International Development.
efforts, and authorizes $10 million for the
Department of Commerce for each of FY2021
Eva Lipiec, Specialist in Natural Resource Policy
through FY2024 to use as a match for nonfederal
contributions made to MDF (Subtitle B);
IF10967
2. directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish and
administer the Genius Prize for SOS Innovation to
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Marine Debris: NOAA’s Role


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10967 · VERSION 8 · UPDATED

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