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EPA's Microplastic Beach Protocol

The EPA’s Microplastic Beach Protocol was designed to help community scientists collect data on microplastic pollution along both freshwater and marine beaches and shorelines. Using this protocol, volunteers can collect important data that can be used to characterize current levels of microplastics pollution and look for local, regional, and global trends. The protocol was originally developed by the 5Gyres Institute and has since been updated and revised by the EPA.

Users are able to access a mobile version of the EPA’s Microplastic Beach Protocol via the Marine Debris Tracker app.

EPA's Microplastic Beach Protocol (pdf) (1.14 MB, September 2021)

This document provides an introduction to microplastics, an outline of how to collect and analyze samples using the protocol, and instructions for using the Marine Debris Tracker app to log data.  

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Last updated on August 12, 2024
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