The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program is the United States Government’s lead for addressing the impacts of marine debris on our ocean, waterways, and Great Lakes. We work with organizations around the United States and globally to prevent marine debris from entering the environment, remove it from coastal areas, better understand the problem through research and shoreline monitoring, and respond to debris created by disasters. Learn more about the Marine Debris Program here. 

Floats are being utilized to contain random debris, caused by demolition of a home destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, from moving further into Barnegat Bay during the removal process.

United States Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide: A National-Level Comprehensive Guide

Hurricane season begins June 1st, and we have resources to help our coastal communities better prepare for and respond to a hurricane’s debris impacts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program developed the “United States Marine Debris Emergency Response Guide” (Guide) in collaboration with other federal agencies to improve preparedness for responding to marine debris after hurricanes and other disasters in coastal areas of the United States, including the Great Lakes and territories. 

Marine Debris Program Regions

In this section, you can find state or region-specific information on current marine debris projects and activities. Marine debris impacts every U.S. coastal state and territory. In order to address it, the NOAA Marine Debris Program positions coordinators around the country to provide local expertise and guidance to marine debris stakeholders.