The Marine Debris Foundation

Cross-border Cleanup

The Pacific coastline at the United States-Mexico border is at the terminus of the Tijuana River Watershed, which harbors some of the most ecologically significant protected coastal and marine ecosystems in the Californias. In Tijuana, Mexico, uncollected plastics and dumping in canyons and ravines contribute significantly to cross-border ocean-bound plastic debris.

Trash boom in Los Laureles Canyon. Photo credit: WILDCOAST

In 2021, WILDCOAST installed the first solid waste retention system (trash boom) in Mexico in Los Laureles Canyon, Tijuana, Mexico. The trash boom has prevented more than 250,000 pounds of trash from entering the Tijuana River and, from there, the Pacific Ocean. Recognizing the success of that pilot project, leaders in other communities are advocating for trash booms. MDF is providing funding to install additional trash booms and to support an outreach campaign with residents and decision- makers of San Diego and Tijuana to change attitudes and practices around single use-plastics.

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For the Birds

The rocky shores and salt marshes of the islands in Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay provide critical habitat for over 155 nesting and foraging bird species like the glossy ibis, great egret and black-crowned night heron. These magnificent birds enjoy predator-free lives on the bay islands, but their habitats are threatened by washed-up household debris and litter from recreational boaters.

MDF supports work across the spectrum of the marine debris crisis: we advance education and outreach that changes the public’s awareness of and approach to waste disposal, we support technologies that prevent debris from entering the ocean, and we fund the work that pulls dangerous debris from marine environments. In Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay, we are supporting Save the Bay’s robust volunteer-driven island cleanup initiative. Our funding helps cover the costs of boat crews, fuel, cleanup supplies and waste disposal, in order to protect sensitive habitat.

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Eliminating Single-use Plastic

MDF partners with numerous groups working to eliminate single-use plastics in specific sectors–like food service and college campuses. One of our partners is the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN), which is directing the College of the Atlantic in becoming the first plastic-free campus in the United States.

The aptly named College of the Atlantic sits on Maine’s coast, in Bar Harbor. PLAN’s nationwide Atlas Fellowship guides students and their colleges in a multi-year process that leads to a comprehensive plan to improve waste infrastructure on campus while developing students’ leadership and technical skills to successfully enter the environmental field. MDF’s funding supports the final stage of PLAN’s fellowship work at the College of the Atlantic, which will result in a zero-waste action plan and the purchase of necessary infrastructure to eliminate over 50,000 single-use disposable plastics annually on campus.

You are critical in the work to end the marine debris crisis. Support more ambitious initiatives like this with a gift to MDF.

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Protecting Endangered Marine Wildlife in Hawaii

Marine Debirs Foundation is partnering with the Hawai’i Marine Mammal Alliance to protect Hawaii’s endangered marine wildlife–like the Hawaiian monk seal, hawksbill sea turtle, green sea turtle and seabirds–from entanglements, hookings and ingestion of derelict fishing gear and debris.

Over the past five years, team members have executed more than 250 dives (5,400 people-hours) to remove 17 miles of fishing line and 3,000 hooks from nearshore habitat, which has resulted in preventing 10,000 animal hazards.

Additionally, the “Beat Debris” initiative organizes independent divers to remove marine debris during their own unstructured dive activities. This citizen-science project has removed more than 10,000 pounds of debris, 11 miles of fishing line, and 2,650 hooks from Hawaii’s waters. Between the volunteer divers and citizen-science dive project, this partnership has prevented nearly 20,000 underwater animal hazards.

You are part of the solution. Help us protect endangered marine habitat and wildlife from marine debris with a gift to MDF.

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