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child's hands holding plastic trash collected from the beach

Plastic Pollution

Moving Away From Single-Use Plastics

The Problem

Plastics are all around us and a part of our everyday lives. They're also increasingly inside us – microplastics have been found in our lungs, blood and throughout the human body. An estimated 11 million tons of plastic enter ocean waters every year, the result of litter on our beaches, streets and sidewalks blowing into storm drains, creeks, streams and rivers making its way to the marine environment. Surfrider chapters and clubs lead hundreds of cleanups every year removing thousands of pounds of trash and collecting data to inform our efforts to make change. Additionally, the production of plastic, a fossil-fuel product, contributes significantly to climate change through both the materials and the manufacturing processes used to make it.

Recycling, not the answer

Recycling is not the answer: Only about 5 percent of U.S. plastic waste gets recycled. Surfrider instead advocates for reuse and the use of truly recyclable material in policy and as part of our Ocean Friendly Restaurant program. Industry "solutions" such as chemical or "advanced" recycling are only ploys to justify the continued production of plastic.

Bioplastics, not the answer

Likewise, bioplastics create the impression of a solution while actually adding to the problem. Surfrider discourages the use of bioplastics and offers several resources for those seeking more information and truly sustainable alternatives on our Bioplastics Facts & Resources page.

The (real!) solution

We must change the current flow of plastic pollution by stopping plastic problems at the source. This includes eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics, advocating for better product alternatives and switching to reusables for our everyday needs. We encourage individuals, industry and governments to protect our ocean, waves, and beaches by supporting legislative polices that move us away from unnecessary single-use plastics. Find current campaigns and action opportunities – and revisit our victories! – here

Common Plastic Pollution Sources

foam litter

Foam

Expanded polystyrene foam products, including foodware, easily break into small pieces that litter the beach. Find more sustainable alternatives to plastic foodware in the Ocean Friendly Foodware Guide.

plastic bag floating in the ocean

Bags

The 100 billion single-use bags used per year in the U.S. are easily replaceable with reusable bags. Currently, over 500 local and state bag laws have been adopted in the U.S.

plastic straws collected from the beach

Straws

Plastic straw litter can be very harmful to marine life, like blocking the airway of a turtle. Choose to go strawless unless you need one, or opt for a reusable one instead.

cigarette butts littered on the beach

Butts

Hold On To Your Butt. Cigarette butts account for approximately one in every five items collected during beach cleanups. Surfrider’s local Hold Onto Your Butt programs provide ways to actively engage in solutions.

micro-plastics collected from the beach

Micro-Plastics

From microbeads to plastic fragments to microfibers, this small but pervasive form of plastic is found from the highest mountain peaks to the deepest parts of the ocean, including in the stomachs of fish. Microbead bans and improved filtration on washing machines are part of the solution, but this classification is so diverse that source reduction generally is the most effective.

plastic bottle litter on the beach

Bottles

Despite the availability of recycling, still, less than 1/3 of plastic bottles are recycled in the U.S. and can be replaced by reusable bottles or more sustainable alternatives like glass and aluminum.

Visit our beach cleanup database to view more common sources of plastic pollution.

Our Impact

Surfrider Foundation has been tackling plastic pollution head on for over a decade.

3K+


Beach Cleanups To Date

1M+


Pounds Of Trash Removed

130K+


Volunteers Engaged

280 Plastic Pollution Victories since 2005

Since 2005, we have achieved hundreds of victories to stop the flow of plastics into our environment, but these victories do not come easy. So how exactly do these plastic reduction policies, laws and bills get passed and implemented? 

Watch this video to learn more about our work to stop plastic pollution at its source!

Rise Above Plastics

Rise Above Plastics is Surfrider’s education and outreach initiative designed to eliminate the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and advocating for solutions that reduce single-use plastics.

woman in front of city hall building with a sign that reads "plastic straws suck"
woman in front of city hall building with a sign that reads "plastic straws suck"

Rise Above Plastics

Rise Above Plastics is Surfrider’s education and outreach initiative designed to eliminate the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and advocating for solutions that reduce single-use plastics.

people dining at an ocean friendly restaurant

Ocean Friendly Restaurants

Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants program recognizes restaurants that are committed to cutting out wasteful single-use plastic. We represent an inclusive community that supports a healthy lifestyle for ourselves and our planet in order to find more joy and peace in our everyday lives.

Beach Cleanups

The national cleanup program tackles the ocean litter issue - primarily caused by plastic pollution - through data collection, citizen science, and campaign support. We are all part of the solution and together we can restore our coastlines, one beach at a time.

two women holding a bucket of trash collected at a beach cleanup
two women holding a bucket of trash collected at a beach cleanup

Beach Cleanups

The national cleanup program tackles the ocean litter issue - primarily caused by plastic pollution - through data collection, citizen science, and campaign support. We are all part of the solution and together we can restore our coastlines, one beach at a time.

plastic littered on the beach

Plastic Policy

The Surfrider Foundation has successfully helped pass legislation to reduce plastic pollution at the local, state, and national levels for over a decade. We’ve been tirelessly pushing for legislation that will minimize plastic’s harmful impacts on our environment and communities.

Ways To Get Involved

Volunteer

Join our network and help us tackle the issues that face our ocean, waves and beaches.

Donate

Support Surfrider and our network of coastal defenders.

Take Action

Take action right from your computer by contacting your local officials.