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National Georgaphic
Debris Tracker
An open data citizen scientist movement
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National Georgaphic
8 million metric tons...
That's how much plastic is estimated to enter the ocean every year. What are we doing to change that?

Debris Tracker is designed to help citizen scientists like you make a difference by contributing data on plastic pollution in your community. We've been tracking litter since before smartphones existed, and we're still driven by uniting technology and citizen science to fight plastic pollution. Every day, dedicated educational, non-profit, and scientific organizations and passionate citizen scientists from all around the world record data on inland and marine debris with our easy-to-use app, contributing to our open data platform and scientific research.
... debris items collected!

Together, we can create a bigger picture of marine debris and plastic pollution through collecting open data, generating scientific findings, informing policy, and inspiring upstream design.

Data at your fingertips
We believe in open data because we believe the key to solving plastic pollution is working together. View all data from around the world, or select a customized list from one of our collaborators. Filter by date and category, and choose what categories to include in your graphs. Inspired solutions begin with quality data.
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Getting started with Debris Tracker
New here? Let us help you get started. Learn the basics of the app and get answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Partners
Debris Tracker is powered by Morgan Stanley in partnership with National Geographic Society and the University of Georgia. Our app was developed in 2010 by the NOAA Marine Debris Program and the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia. Additional support provided by 11th Hour Racing.
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