Marine Debris
Out of sight, out of mind, doesn’t apply to trash.
Plastic, rubber, beverage cans, cigarette butts, and other types of trash often finds its way to our waterways, estuaries, and Oceans. Once land-based, this trash is now considered “marine debris.”
Over time, some of these materials can break into smaller pieces and enter the aquatic food web – making marine debris a major threat to ecosystems and to wildlife and human health.
Pennsylvania Sea Grant works with partners across the Commonwealth to prevent marine debris, remove it from waterways, and educate others about the ways trash impacts our communities, economies, and ecosystems. Examples of the activities include organizing and recruiting volunteers for clean-up events, providing in-person training, and offering educational resources.
Volunteer Clean-up Events
Working with a partners and volunteers, Pennsylvania Sea Grant staff coordinate and participate in clean-up events along the Delaware River shoreline, islands, estuary, and along the shores of Lake Erie’s Presque Isle State Park. Clean up efforts are generally organized in the spring and late summer.
Staff partners with Keep Delaware Beautiful, a Philadelphia-based group that connects individuals with organizations and resources to conduct clean up activities. In 2025, clean-up efforts resulted in 95 volunteers removing 1,000 pounds of marine debris including 10 quarts of used motor oil.
Surveying & Recording Types of Trash
Using NOAA’s “Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project” (MDMAP), Zach Nemec, coastal outreach specialist in southeastern Pennsylvania, trains volunteers how to survey and record the types and amounts of marine debris found on shorelines during clean-up events. Using the MDMAP standardized collection method, resources, and publicly available data, scientists and volunteers can detect similarities and changes – which can help inform public education, outreach, and prevention efforts.
For more information about marine debris, community clean up events, or MDMAP, contact us!
Zach Nemec, Coastal Outreach Specialist
zmn5053@psu.edu, 814-898-6887
Zach Nemec, Coastal Outreach Specialist working in the Delaware River Basin, joined Pennsylvania Sea Grant in July 2021. He is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating regional outreach programs with a focus on watershed restoration and community resiliency in southeastern Pennsylvania. Zach also connects communities with local stakeholders to better understand and grow their resilience, economies, and well-being.
Amber Stilwell, Coastal Outreach Specialist
ars26@psu.edu, 814.898.7086
Amber Stilwell, Coastal Outreach Specialist working in the Lake Erie Region, joined Pennsylvania Sea Grant in August 2021. She is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating regional outreach programs with a focus on healthy ecosystems and watershed restoration. Her main focus areas include aquatic invasive species and water quality in the Lake Erie and Ohio River watersheds.
