Answer: Yes. Tracking debris by category shows where source-reduction policies have been effective. For example, following plastic bag bans in New York and Connecticut, the number of plastic grocery bags collected per mile has dropped by 96 and 88 percent, respectively. This data helps inform future policies and public outreach campaigns.
Pounds of debris collected per mile are separated into specific categories (e.g., plastic bags, bottles, straws) using data from the International Coastal Cleanup reported by the American Littoral Society and Save the Sound.
Marine debris comes in all different, shapes, sizes, and forms. During coastal clean-ups, organizations will categorize the marine debris being collected to determine specific trends. Using data from The Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Information and Data for Education and Solutions (TIDES) database, from 2013 to 2024, the Long Island Sound Partnership reports a percent decrease in marine debris collected per mile during coastal clean-ups in the following categories: plastic grocery bags (NY-99; CT-97), other (non-grocery) plastic bags (NY-80; CT-38), balloons (NY-96; CT-94), cigarettes (NY-93; CT-93), Styrofoam (NY-96; CT-82), foam cups and plates (NY-91; CT-88), plastic bottles (NY-94; CT-79), and straws/stirrers (NY-94; CT-79). It is important to note that although the Long Island Sound is shared by New York and Connecticut, the states may differ in their trends for different categories. For example, in 2024, while New York had a decrease (50 percent), Connecticut had no change in construction materials; New York experienced a decrease in bottle caps (46 percent), and Connecticut had no change; and Connecticut had a decrease in personal protective gear (50 percent), while New York experienced no change (although the personal protective equipment had only started being categorized by the International Coastal Cleanup in 2019). These differences in trends for different categories may be attributed to the runoff conditions that are dependent on local precipitation rates, infrastructure, population, and land uses.
This indicator with categorization helps us identify top contributors of litter driving marine debris issues in Long Island Sound. With this information, the Partnership can make more informed decisions about how to tackle marine debris by litter type and source as each category has their own specific challenges. For example, some current declines may coincide with various bans implemented in New York and Connecticut municipalities. New York and Connecticut, starting March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 respectively, implemented state-wide plastic bag bans to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags. Prior to these state-wide bans, individual municipalities implemented their own bans to jumpstart the state-wide initiative. Similar local bans for balloons and styrofoam containers and packaging have also been implemented. Working together to achieve trash-free waters, we can make Long Island Sound cleaner for residents, visitors, and generations to come.
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