Canada's 'dirty dozen': See the most common pieces of trash on our shorelines
Canada's single-use plastic ban appears to be having a positive impact.
In honour of Earth Day, Ocean Wise has released its 2024 Shoreline Impact Report, celebrating 30 years of conservation efforts. The report highlights 'The Dirty Dozen', i.e., the the twelve most found items on Canadian shorelines in 2024, using data from more than 25,000 shoreline cleanups across Canada.
Cigarettes topped the list, representing a third of the trash collected. That was followed by plastic pieces and paper.
(Ocean Wise)
In the U.S., plastic fragments claimed the top spot, followed by pieces of Styrofoam and cigarette butts.
The upside? Canada's single-use plastic ban seems to be having an impact.
Ocean Wise notes a 32 per cent decrease in plastic straws, 10 per cent fewer plastic utensils, and a 25 per cent decrease in plastic bags compared to 2023.
In all, more than 400,000 pieces of trash along 1,233 km of shoreline were removed in Canada in 2024.
Thirty years of cleanups
This year marks a milestone for Ocean Wise: The 30th anniversary of its Shoreline Cleanup initiative in Canada. Since launching with a single beach cleanup in Vancouver in 1994, the program has evolved into one of Canada’s largest direct-action conservation campaigns, now extending its reach internationally.
Since its inception, more than one million volunteers have cleaned thousands of kilometres of Canadian shoreline, removing litter and providing data on pollution that is shared with local governments and national researchers.
Get involved
To join a cleanup or explore the 2024 Shoreline Cleanup Impact Report, visit ShorelineCleanup.ca.
You can also view the full 2024 U.S. Dirty Dozen list online.
