INSIGHTS AND TRENDS

What types of debris are we finding across different environments? What are the most common types of plastic and what are some potential sources and pathways?

Our innovative plastic capture technologies, including both stationary and mobile devices, allow us to collect plastic and other debris across various environments. From busy marinas to stormwater systems and beaches, our devices effectively capture plastic pollution, preventing it from impacting water quality, wildlife and habitats!

Data Findings

Small hard fragments are the most common items found across environments, with the majority of them removed from beaches. Other small pieces, such as foam and pellets, are primarily found in the water, while larger items tend to be removed upstream on land or from runoff. Cigarette butts and large film pieces are the most common items found in storm drains.

Percentage of Large and Small Debris Found by Environment

Smaller plastic pieces are more commonly found in the water, while larger debris is more often captured upstream.

Water-based collection technologies, such as Seabins and PixieDrones, capture a much higher proportion of small plastic pieces. This is likely due to larger items breaking down into smaller fragments as they move through waterways and are exposed to sunlight and water turbulence.

In contrast, stormwater-focused technologies like Gutter Bins and LittaTraps tend to capture larger plastic items. This may be because plastic enters these systems directly from the surface, before it has breaks down into smaller pieces.

Beaches tend to contain a mix of small and large debris. This may be because large items are often left behind directly by beach visitors (e.g. toys, food packaging, fishing gear), while smaller pieces wash up on the shoreline from the water.

Interesting Trends

Smoking and tobacco products, including cigarette butts and cigar tips, are consistently one of the top types of debris found in the environment. This type of pollution is especially prevalent on beaches and in storm drains, where smoking-related plastic makes up more than 12% of the items collected (compared to 2% in the water).

Cigarette Butts

Cigar Tips & Filters

Nicotine Pouches

Packaging

We’ve recently observed an increase in smoking-related plastic pollution captured by our technologies. Nicotine pouches were a more recent find that had not been observed in any significant number in previous years, aligning with the products’ increasing popularity in North America.

Packaging items from food and beverages are primarily found upstream on shorelines and include food wrappers, bottle caps, food containers (plastic and foam), beverage bottles, and cups.

In 2025, we introduced new food packaging categories into our data collection process to better identify and distinguish the types of packaging found in the environment. This more detailed approach will help us build a clearer picture of food and beverage waste across the Great Lakes over time.

Stay tuned for our insights!

Pre-production plastic pellets, commonly known as "nurdles,” are small plastic beads that serve as the raw material used to manufacture many plastic products. These pellets are a common form of plastic pollution found across a range of environments.

They can enter waterways through runoff, spills, and losses during transport or handling. In our dataset, pellets account for nearly 4% of all pieces collected and were especially common in the water, making up more than 9% of the debris captured by Seabins.

The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup is currently working to address pre-production plastic pellet loss.

Our findings highlight that improperly discarded plastic waste is a major source of pollution in our environment and waterways. Even when properly disposed of, many of these items can be carried away by wind or wildlife, ultimately ending up in the lakes.