Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanups show plastics ban is working, but reveals gaps
- 2025 Shoreline Cleanup Impact Report shows the plastics ban is working, but its scope needs to increase
- Between 2022 and 2025 all items covered by Canada’s single-use plastics ban saw a decline in prevalence
- Report data informed 14 local interventions to reduce plastic pollution at its source
- Volunteers removed over 13,445 kilograms of waste from waterways in 2025
April 22, 2026: Ocean Wise, an ocean conservation organization headquartered in Vancouver, today released its annual Shoreline Cleanup Impact Report, which shows that Canada’s single-use plastics ban is having a measurable impact while highlighting critical gaps in current regulations.
Drawing on one of Canada’s longest-running citizen science datasets, the report tracks litter collected during Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanups in Canada and the United States. In 2025, 8,570 volunteers participated in 806 cleanups, removing 13,445.9 kilograms of waste and documenting more than 345,000 pieces of litter.
The plastics ban is working, but there are limits
The data shows clear declines in items covered by the single-use plastics ban, including a 16% drop in plastic bags and a 3% decrease in utensils per person year on year. But these gains are also being offset by increases in items not covered by current regulations. The number of coffee cups and lids found by volunteers rose by 19%, emerging as a growing source of shoreline pollution.
“The data shows what happens when policy targets specific items, and also what happens when it doesn’t,” said Jennie Moushos, Interim CEO of Ocean Wise. “We’re seeing clear progress, but the rise of items like coffee cups and lids shows that the current list of banned items needs to be expanded urgently.”
Data is driving action
Ocean Wise is working with municipalities to turn shoreline data into practical solutions that prevent waste before it reaches waterways. In 2025, Shoreline Cleanup data was translated into 14 targeted interventions across five cities, including upgrades to recycling and waste diversion infrastructure in high-traffic areas, as well as expanded school and community education programs focused on microplastics.
“This report shows the power of collective action,” finished Moushos. “When communities come together, we don’t just clean up our shorelines, we build the data and solutions needed to tackle plastic pollution at its source. Our progress proves that change is possible, and that together, we can go even further.”
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About Ocean Wise
Ocean Wise is a global conservation organization on a mission to build communities that take meaningful action to protect and restore our ocean. Through research, education, innovation, and collaboration, we are turning the tide on three major ocean challenges: plastic pollution, overfishing and climate change. By creating communities of concern that include industries, governments, and everyday citizens, we create a future where our ocean and the people who depend on it can thrive.
Ocean Wise is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia with work reaching over two dozen countries around the globe.
About Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanups
The Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup program, established in 1994, has grown from a single beach cleanup in Vancouver’s Stanley Park to one of Canada’s largest conservation initiatives, now with an international presence.
Over more than 30 years, the program has seen over 30,000 cleanups and 15 million recorded items to date.
Each cleanup contributes to a growing evidence base used by researchers, municipalities, and policymakers to better understand and reduce plastic pollution.
To learn more or find more details on how to join or lead a cleanup, visit the shoreline cleanup page: https://ocean.org/pollution-plastics/shoreline-cleanup/
Posted April 22, 2026 by Nic Schulz
