The Marine Debris Foundation

It will take all of us to end the marine debris crisis.

Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet  

Every year, a million animals–sea turtles, seals, whales, shorebirds and others–are killed or injured by entanglement or ingestion of debris. Microplastics, which result from the breakdown of larger plastics, infiltrate the marine food web, posing risks to human health.

Marine debris also affects the fishing and tourism industries, causing millions of dollars in losses each year. Coastal communities bear the brunt of cleanup costs and lost revenue resulting from debris-polluted waters.

You can help turn the tide. The Marine Debris Foundation guides your charitable giving to initiatives and organizations working to remove, reduce and prevent marine debris. 

What is Marine Debris?  

Marine debris is 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 the Great Lakes. It is a global problem, and it is an everyday problem. Marine debris is a threat to our environment, navigation safety, the economy, and potentially human safety and health.

MDF cleanup volunteer carrying bags of marine debris.
MDF volunteer dragging a discarded fishing net.
Two MDF cleanup volunteers carrying a discarded fishing net.
MDF board members and volunteers listening for instruction.
Two cleanup volunteers carrying a wheelbarrow of discarded buoys.
MDF board member cleaning discarded fishing net on a beach in Sitka, Alaska.
Two clean-up volunteers passing a bag of collected trash.
MDF board members and volunteers listening for instruction.
MDF volunteers carrying bags of marine debris back to the boat.
MDF cleanup volunteer cleaning discarded fishing net on a beach in Sitka, Alaska.
MDF board members and volunteers listening for instruction.

The Marine Debris Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable partner of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States’ lead government agency addressing ocean plastics and debris. Contact: info@marinedebrisfoundation.org

The Marine Debris Foundation is a 501(c)3 – Tax ID #88-4011690.
Donations are 100% tax-deductible as allowed by law.