Pollution & Plastics

Our ocean is home to countless marine species under threat from plastic pollution, underwater noise and chemicals. But it’s not just the whales and salmon that pay the price — humans are at risk, too.

11M

Tons of plastic ends up in our ocean annually

1,000,000+

Cleanup volunteers in Canada since 1994

27,800

Cleanups along 44,262 kilometres of shoreline

9%

Amount of single-use plastic actually recycled in Canada

2M

Kilograms of garbage diverted from Canada's waterways

29

Years Ocean Wise has dedicated to its ocean pollution program

Plastic Pollution

Shoreline Cleanup

The Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup is a conservation program that provides volunteers with the opportunity to take action in their communities wherever water meets land — one piece of litter at a time.

Plastics Lab

Microplastics are plastic particles that are less than five millimetres in size and they wreak havoc in the global ocean. The Ocean Wise Plastics Lab is a world leader in cutting-edge technical insight into microplastics in ocean environments.

Plastic Reduction Program

Every business, person, and municipality can meaningfully reduce their single-use plastics, directly addressing pervasive ocean plastics. Ocean Wise provides science-based tools, tips and resources that empower individuals and organizations to take action.

Pollution Tracker

A monitoring program for coastal British Columbia, Canada, PollutionTracker documents the levels and trends of hundreds of contaminants of concern in mussels and nearshore ocean sediments.

Learn More