Fact: The vast majority of cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, a kind of plastic that isn’t biodegradable. Thumbs up to Deep Blue Scuba Center, Long Beach, California, USA for removing and reporting more than 300 cigarette butts during their Debris Month of Action event this September.

So far, nearly 4,000 pieces of trash have been reported from volunteer divers with new reports coming in daily. Top types of debris reported this September include all types of beverage bottles (plastic, glass and aluminum) as well as plastic grocery bags.

To find out the types of trash and entangled animals surfacing from underwater environments near you visit the interactive Dive Against Debris Map.

While September’s Debris Month of Action was a success – the ocean needs you to Dive Against Debris all year long. Your data makes a difference and will help target our waste prevention efforts where they’re needed most.