The Marine Debris Tracker mobile application is a joint initiative between the NOAA Marine Debris Program and the Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative (SEA-MDI), run out of the University of Georgia College of Engineering. The tracker app allows you to help make a difference by checking in when you find trash on our coastlines and waterways.

This tool is a great way to get involved in local data collection – imagine being able to use your data to characterize the marine debris problem at your local beach. Anyone picking up marine litter can easily track and log items from a list of common debris items found on the shoreline or in the water. Litter tracking is not just for the coasts – you can track debris picked up anywhere in the country, even a stream in Nebraska.

The app records the debris location through GPS, and you can view the data on your phone. Submit the data to SEA-MDI’s Marine Debris Tracker website for viewing and download later (requires registration, which is available on the app). Download the app and start tracking today!