The annual Shoreline Cleanup Impact Report from Ocean Wise shows that while Canada’s single-use plastics ban is having a measurable impact -- critical gaps remain in current regulations.
The report tracks litter collected during shoreline cleanups in North America in 2025.
More than 8500 volunteers participated in 806 cleanups, removing nearly 13,500 kilograms of waste and documenting more than 345,000 pieces of litter.
The data shows clear declines in items covered by the single-use plastics ban, including a 16% drop in plastic bags and a 3% decrease in utensils per person year on year.
But these gains are also being offset by increases in items not covered by current regulations.
For example, the number of coffee cup & lid litter rose 19%.
"The new data shows what happens when policy targets specific items, and what happens when it doesn't." -- Ocean Wise Interim CEO Jennie Moushos.
Ocean Wise is headquartered in Vancouver, with work reaching over two dozen countries around the globe.