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.

A microscopic image of various microfibers.

New Report on Microfiber Pollution Released

The NOAA Marine Debris Program and Environmental Protection Agency’s Trash Free Waters Program, on behalf of the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee, are pleased to share the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee Report on Microfiber Pollution. This report, created as a requirement of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act (P.L. 116-224), provides an overview of microfiber pollution, including a proposed definition of a microfiber, an assessment of the problem, and recommendations for measuring and reducing microfiber pollution. It also outlines a plan with five goals for Federal agencies to reduce microfiber pollution in coordination with stakeholders. 

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.