1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated April 23, 2020Marine Debris: NOAAs RoleResearchers have found marine debris, especially plastic items, to have some effects on humans, wildlife, and the environment, but the extent of these impacts is currently unclear. Congress has directed the National Ocean
2、ic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or the Secretary of Commerce (through NOAA) to lead federal government efforts to address marine debris and has enacted additional marine debris-related legislation in recent years. Members of Congress are considering further NOAA provisions, and other federa
3、l agency actions, to support marine debris prevention efforts, domestically and internationally. What Is Marine Debris? Congress has defined marine debris, also known as marine litter and anthropogenic debris, to include “any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly o
4、r indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes” (33 U.S.C. 1956). According to NOAA, marine debris can be made of plastic, glass, metal, or wood. Plastic is the most abundant type of marine debris in shoreline and oceanic surve