Top Ten Types of Debris Littering the Oceans, 2012
Updated February 12, 2020 |
Infoplease Staff
The 2012 International Coastal Cleanup involved 561,633 volunteers in a worldwide effort that removed 10.15 million pounds of garbage from our oceans.
Rank | Debris items | Total number |
---|---|---|
1. | Cigarettes/cigarette filters | 2,117,931 |
2. | Food wrappers/containers | 1,140,222 |
3. | Beverage bottles (plastic) | 1,065,171 |
4. | Plastic bags | 1,019,902 |
5. | Caps, lids | 958,893 |
6. | Cups/plates/forks/ knives/spoons | 692,767 |
7. | Straws/stirrers | 611,048 |
8. | Beverage bottles (glass) | 521,730 |
9. | Beverage cans | 339,875 |
10. | Paper bags | 298,332 |
Source: The Ocean Conservancy. Web: www.oceanconservancy.org .
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