Data collected by the Tangaroa Blue Foundation shows that 2,651,613 pieces of debris were collected from beaches during 2016 and 2017, with about three-quarters of items made from plastic.
More than 1000 organisations, such as the Surfrider Foundation, collect data from clean-ups and pass it on to Tangaroa Blue.
The data collection project helps stakeholders understand where the debris is coming from, so they can then work with industries and governments to cut off litter at the source.
To find out more about Tangaroa click here.
To read the full article in the Guardian click here.
