Ocean-bound plastic is plastic waste that has not yet reached the sea but is at high risk of doing so. The common definition is abandoned or mismanaged plastic found within 50 kilometres of a coastline or major waterway, in areas without adequate waste management.
Most marine plastic starts on land and is carried out by rivers, drains, wind and floods. Collecting this material before it enters the water prevents ocean pollution at its source and is far easier than recovering plastic from the sea. Collected ocean-bound plastic can be sorted and recycled like other post-consumer waste, and certification programmes verify its origin through traceability. Stronger collection in coastal regions is therefore one of the most effective protections for the ocean.
