Ecosystem Targets and Supporting Indicators

Marine Debris by Category

This measure indicates the marine debris collected by category on Long Island Sound beaches.

View Implementation Actions for Marine Debris by Category

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Grocery Plastic Bags
YearNY grocery plastic bags/mileNY grocery plastic bags collectedNY miles of beachCT grocery plastic bags/mileCT grocery plastic bags collectedCT miles of beach
2013186 14,840801695,77434
201415716,2111032107,49336
201517010,390612019,70248
2016592,92549418951
2017723,89154121,548130
2018111,370129151,536105
2019423,4688271,186178
202035651734613141
202197658661,260214
2022737050202,763135
Other Plastic Bags
YearNY other plastic bags/mileNY other plastic bags collectedNY miles of beachCT other plastic bags/mileCT other plastic bags collectedCT miles of beach
2013191,499801550334
2014222,2721031966936
20151485361944148
2016512,50349313351
2017603,26454172,240130
2018162,035129202,086105
2019282,30182111,878178
20202331173121,682141
202143308608214
20221366550304,004135
Balloons
YearNY balloons/mileNY balloons collectedNY miles of beachCT balloons/mileCT balloons collectedCT miles of beach
2013221,791801447034
2014161,6071031244236
2015301,829611679348
2016178364928351
201714754546846130
201867191294435105
201912961823489178
202022811733428141
20213238861190214
20220650196135
Cigarettes
YearNY cigarettes/mileNY cigarettes collectedNY miles of beachCT cigarettes/mileCT cigarettes collectedCT miles of beach
201340431,1828051517,56234
201441943,28910361922,12336
201524014,6376155326,74848
201624312,02849271,36451
20171739,3975425633,328130
2018293,76812917017,798105
2019857,0068213924,684178
202091,477173577,997141
2021262,24286265,623214
2022841850111,505135
Styrofoam
YearNY Styrofoam/mileNY Styrofoam collectedNY miles of beachCT Styrofoam/mileCT Styrofoam collectedCT miles of beach
2013796,31380431,48134
2014484,967103491,74936
2015633,87461462,21748
20161406,89749733051
20171668,97754719,269130
2018708,95312911411,911105
2019705,751828014,162178
20204730173699,792141
2021121,042862351214
2022763,785507910,593135
Foam Cups/Plates
YearNY foam cups & plates/mileNY foam cups & plates collectedNY miles of beachCT foam cups & plates/mileCT foam cups & platesCT miles of beach
2013211,687801655534
2014131,3111031863636
2015231,40961211,00148
2016301,4824901251
2017311,70554101,298130
2018131,6491297723105
201910847824726178
20200341732323141
20210418605214
2022703,48750111,431135
Bottle Caps
YearNY bottle caps/mileNY bottle caps collectedNY miles of beachCT bottle caps/mileCT bottle caps collectedCT miles of beach
2013342,688801653434
2014282,8721032795936
2015452,74161261,24548
20161487,30749736951
20171518,19554617,913130
2018405,133129464,797105
20191008,250182345,993178
202071,218173283,959141
2021282,4418691,995214
2022984,9055018825,393135
Plastic Bottles
YearNY bottles/mileNY bottles collected NY miles of beachCT bottles/mileCT bottles collectedCT miles of beach
2013967,64280561.92134
2014697,159103582,06536
20151348,17061884,25048
2016793,91249420551
2017834,48654476,091130
2018283,611129323,381105
2019534,31282183,220178
20204758173253,530141
2021131,12986102,143214
2022251,25450547,347135
Straws/Stirrers
YearNY straws and stirrers/mileNY straws and stirrers collectedNY miles of beachCT straws and stirrers/mileCT straws and stirrers collectedCT miles of beach
2013574,55680421,41634
2014303,098103351,25036
2015523,15761361,73548
2016703,45949523451
2017874,74354293,784130
2018243,067129212,212105
2019544,41282162,862178
20205856173111,605141
2021161,3498651,110214
202252665081,133135
Construction Materials
YearNY construction materials/mileNY construction materials collectedNY miles of beachCT construction materials/mileCT construction materials collectedCT miles of beach
201343508025734
2014334710314236
201542696117148
2016281,3614914251
201713710545673130
201845431298810105
2019121,019825826178
20200711733434141
202110876863580214
2022735650031135
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
YearNY PPE/mileNY PPE collectedNY miles of beachCT PPE/mileCT PPE collectedCT miles of beach
201300800034
2014001030036
201500610048
201600490051
2017005400130
20180012900105
2019008200178
202011331732275141
20216525863647214
202241815012516,797135

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 2021, LISS reports a decrease in marine debris collected per mile during coastal clean-ups in the following categories: plastic grocery bags (NY-96%; CT-88%), balloons (NY-99%; CT-95%), cigarettes (NY-98%; CT-98%), plastic bottles (NY-74%; CT-3%), and straws/stirrers (NY-91%; CT-80%). These declines may coincide with various bans implemented in New York and Connecticut municipalities. For example, New York and Connecticut, starting March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 respectively, have implemented state-wide plastic bag bans and fees to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags. Prior to these state-wide bans, individual municipalities have implemented their own bans to jumpstart the initiative. Similar bans for balloons and styrofoam containers and packaging have also been implemented.

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 example, while New York experienced a decrease (29%), Connecticut increased (50%) in other (non-grocery) plastic bags; New York had a decrease (5%) and Connecticut had an increase (45%) in styrofoam; Connecticut had a decrease (35%) and New York had an increase (70%) in foam cups and plates; and Connecticut had a decrease (86%), while New York had an increase (38%) in construction materials. These differences in trends may be attributed to the runoff conditions that are dependent on local precipitation rates, infrastructure, population, and land uses.

On the other hand, some categories do experience percent increases such as bottle caps and personal protective equipment (i.e., rubber gloves, masks). Although last year showed a percent decrease, in 2022, bottle caps experienced a percent increase of 66 and 92 percent for New York and Connecticut, respectively. Although the personal protective equipment had only started being categorized by the International Coastal Cleanup in 2019, the percent increase is 79 and 98 percent for New York and Connecticut, respectively.

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