Top Ten Types of Debris Littering the Oceans, 2014

Updated February 12, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

The 2014 International Coastal Cleanup involved 561,895 volunteers in a worldwide effort that removed 16 million pounds of garbage from our oceans.

Rank Debris items Total
number
1. Cigarettes/cigarette filters 2,248,470
2. Food wrappers/containers 1,376,133
3. Beverage bottles (plastic) 988,965
4. Caps, lids 811,871
5. Straws/stirrers 519,911
6. Other plastic bags 489,968
7. Plastic grocery bags 485,204
8. Beverage bottles (glass) 396,121
9. Beverage cans 382,608
10. Plastic cups and plates 376,479
Source: The Ocean Conservancy. Web: www.oceanconservancy.org .

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