The Marine Debris Database (MDDB) is an online tool that allows you to see the amounts and kinds of trash collected at various Heal the Bay beach cleanups. You can research specific beaches, specific kinds of trash or date ranges, and use that information in a report. This data is a critical part of Heal the Bay’s advocacy efforts, because it allows us to show regulators and legislators how much trash (and what kinds of trash) we find on the beach.
Trash is more than just an eyesore. It’s dangerous to marine life, and it can carry toxins into the ocean. The Pacific Gyre, which is twice the size of Texas, is a part of the ocean that is filled with plastic. Plastic pollution in our ocean must stop, and the Marine Debris Database is one of the tools that will get us there.
Algalita Marine Research Foundation Algalita researches the major plastic gyres in the world's oceans leading the way to creating a new era of consciousness regarding the issue of plastic marine pollution. Part of their current research is focusing on a better understanding of the magnitude of our plastic “footprint”, including the effects of fish ingestion of plastic on human health.