About Stop Ocean Plastic

Stop Ocean Plastic is an independent education hub dedicated to tracking the ocean plastic crisis with verified data, peer-reviewed research, and real-world collection statistics. We exist because the scale of plastic pollution in our oceans demands accurate, accessible information — not conjecture.

Our Mission

We aggregate the latest science on ocean plastic pollution and translate it into clear, evidence-based content. Every statistic we publish links back to its primary source — whether that is a UN Environment Programme report, a peer-reviewed journal article, or verified field data from collection programmes. Our goal is to be the most reliable single source for ocean plastic pollution facts and statistics on the web.

Published by Plastic Bank

This site is published by Plastic Bank, a social fintech that operates the world's largest bottle deposit programme. Plastic Bank pays coastal community members in the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, Thailand, and Cameroon to collect plastic waste before it reaches waterways. To date, the programme has collected over 9.4 billion plastic bottles through a network of more than 62,900 collectors.

We created Stop Ocean Plastic because Plastic Bank's work gives us first-hand access to collection data, community impact metrics, and the on-the-ground realities of plastic waste management in coastal regions. That operational knowledge informs our editorial approach and helps us contextualise the academic research we cover.

Editorial Standards

• Every claim is sourced to a named study, dataset, or official report.
• We use peer-reviewed research as the primary evidence base, with institutional reports (UNEP, OECD, World Bank) as supporting sources.
• When data ranges exist in the literature (for example, estimates of ocean surface plastic vary from 82 to 358 trillion particles), we present the full range rather than cherry-picking a single figure.
• Articles are reviewed and updated when new research is published. Each post displays both its original publication date and the date it was last updated.
• We distinguish between established scientific consensus and emerging findings that require further validation.

About the Author

Content on Stop Ocean Plastic is written and edited by Toby Stapleton, Director of Digital at Plastic Bank. Toby oversees Plastic Bank's digital platforms and has worked at the intersection of technology and environmental impact for over a decade. His role gives him direct access to Plastic Bank's collection data, operational reports, and partnerships with global brands committed to reducing ocean plastic pollution.

Contact

For questions, corrections, or media enquiries, please visit our contact page or reach us through Plastic Bank.