Home | Marine Debris Tracker
An open data citizen science project.
Overview
Added
March 17, 2026
Subject & domain
earth-environment · water-systems-oceanography
Grade range
Grade 5–Grade 12 (Senior)
Pricing
Free
Page kind
Service
Introduction
About Debris Tracker
- Purpose: A citizen science tool designed to track plastic pollution and marine debris globally to support scientific research, policy development, and upstream design.
- Functionality: Users log debris items via a mobile app (iOS and Android) using GPS; data is uploaded to a publicly accessible, open-data platform.
- Scope: Tracks both inland and marine debris; works offline in remote areas by saving sessions and syncing when a connection is restored.
- Data Usage: Collected data is used by educational, non-profit, and scientific organizations to create a global picture of pollution.
- Customization: The platform supports customized data collection lists in various languages for specific research projects or community needs.
- Safety Guidelines: Users are encouraged to pick up litter only if safe; they are advised to avoid large items, dead animals, or hazardous materials.
- Privacy: Publicly downloaded data is associated with the user's account name, but not their personal identity or email address.
- Getting Started:
- Download the app and create an account (via email, Facebook, or SciStarter).
- Access personal data and explore global datasets via the online database.
- Organizations interested in custom lists can contact the team at debristracker101@gmail.com.
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