Marine debris after Japanese tsunami.

Emergency Response

Marine debris is an everyday problem, but natural disasters have the potential to make it worse. Hurricanes and tropical storms, tsunamis, floods, and landslides that impact U.S. coasts can be an overwhelming source of marine debris. High winds, storm surges, and heavy rains drag household products, hazardous waste, and construction debris into the surrounding waters. Natural disasters can also result in abandoned and derelict vessels. This debris can be a hazard to navigation, damage habitat, and pose pollution threats.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is authorized by Congress to work on marine debris through the Marine Debris Act. The Act requires the program to address marine debris posing a threat to the economy, the marine environment, and navigation safety. The Save Our Seas Act of 2018 also directs the NOAA Marine Debris Program to assist in the cleanup and response, if a severe marine debris event is declared. We meet these mandates and our mission by preparing for severe weather and other disaster events through regionally-focused emergency response planning efforts and coordinating with emergency responders during an event. These efforts improve response to hazardous marine debris and safety for Americans.

Marine Debris Emergency Response Guides

Through a highly collaborative process with local, state, and federal agencies, the NOAA Marine Debris Program develops response guidance documents aimed at improving preparedness and facilitating a coordinated, well-managed, and immediate response to acute waterway debris incidents. These efforts work to outline existing response structures at the local, state, and federal levels, capturing all relevant responsibilities and existing procedures into one guidance document for easy reference.

See Also:
Prevention
Removal
Research
Monitoring
A dilapidated house structure on a tropical, sandy shoreline.

Hurricanes Fiona, Ian, and Nicole, and Typhoon Merbok

The 2022 hurricane season inflicted severe damage to communities and coastal resources across the states of Alaska, Florida, and Puerto Rico, leaving a swath of destruction and large amounts of debris in coastal areas.
Vessels and a dock left damaged after a hurricane.

Hurricanes Laura, Sally, Delta, Zeta, and Ida

The 2020 and 2021 hurricane seasons inflicted severe damage to communities and coastal resources across the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, leaving a swath of destruction and large amounts of debris in coastal areas.
A sunken vessel and floating lumber are a result of Hurricane Michael.

Hurricanes Florence and Michael, and Typhoon Yutu

The 2018 hurricane and typhoon seasons inflicted severe damage to communities and coastal resources across North Carolina, Florida, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Boats stranded in mangroves.

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria

The 2017 hurricanes season inflicted severe damage to communities and coastal resources over large areas of the Caribbean, Southeast and Texas, leaving large amounts of debris in the coastal zones of the affected states and territories.
Space view of hurricane over the Atlantic coast of the USA.

Hurricane Sandy Marine Debris

In 2012, Sandy inflicted severe damage to communities and coastal resources in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, leaving a swath of destruction and large amounts of marine debris.
Soccer ball

Japan Tsunami Marine Debris

NOAA responds to marine debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan with federal, state, and local partners.

Debris from Hurricane Katrina

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

NOAA led efforts to map and survey marine debris following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Vessels piled up on a highway following Hurricane Katrina (Photo Credit: Federal Emergency Management Agency).

Emergency Response Guides

Prepare for and respond to disasters with emergency response guides that improve preparedness and facilitate a coordinated, well-managed, and immediate response to acute waterway debris incidents.
Prepare for and respond to disasters with emergency response guides that improve preparedness and facilitate a coordinated, well-managed, and immediate response to acute waterway debris incidents.

Marine Debris Blog (Photo Credit: NOAA)

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Additional Resources

For citation purposes, unless otherwise noted, this article was authored by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

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