THE (DATA) STORY SO FAR
Analyses of the litter collected in the capture and cleanup devices installed at our network of participant sites across the Great Lakes!
What we've captured to-date (2020-2022)
Our waste characterization team sorts debris into these categories:
Small Foam Pieces
Small Hard Fragments
Small Pellets
Small Film Pieces
Large Foam Pieces
Large Fragments
Large Film Pieces
Cigarette Butts
The data shown is based on what is reported from participating sites. We anticipate that there is more being collected by the plastic capture devices
(e.g., on days where data is not collected or reported)!
Each plastic capture technology targets different types of plastic and collects a slightly different quantity of debris each day, depending on a wide range of factors including: the location of the site, weather conditions, and more!
Here's the data broken down by year and what the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup has collected across our participating sites:
Interested in more data?
Check out the breakdown:
