33 CFR 151.3000: Definition of marine debris under the Act

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section defines marine debris, but only for the purposes of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act. It also says NOAA and the Coast Guard jointly promulgated the definition, and it points to NOAA's regulation in 15 CFR part 909.

What it says

  1. The definition of marine debris in this section applies only for the purposes of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act.

    33 CFR 151.3000(a)“For the purposes of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act (33 U.S.C. 1951-1958 (2006)) only, marine debris is defined as”

  2. Marine debris is any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and is disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes, directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally.

    33 CFR 151.3000(a)“any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.”

  3. NOAA and the Coast Guard jointly promulgated the definition of marine debris in this part.

    33 CFR 151.3000(b)“NOAA and the Coast Guard have jointly promulgated the definition of marine debris in this part.”

  4. NOAA's regulation may be found in 15 CFR part 909.

    33 CFR 151.3000(b)“NOAA's regulation may be found in 15 CFR part 909.”

Common questions

What is the definition of marine debris in 33 CFR 151.3000?

Marine debris is any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and is disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes. The disposal or abandonment may be direct or indirect, and intentional or unintentional.

“any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.”

Does this marine debris definition apply to all purposes?

No. The definition applies only for the purposes of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act.

“For the purposes of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act (33 U.S.C. 1951-1958 (2006)) only, marine debris is defined as”

Where can I find NOAA's marine debris regulation?

NOAA's regulation may be found in 15 CFR part 909. NOAA and the Coast Guard jointly promulgated the definition.

“NOAA's regulation may be found in 15 CFR part 909.”

The text of 33 CFR 151.3000

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Definition of marine debris for the purposes of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act

(a) Marine debris. For the purposes of the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act (33 U.S.C. 1951-1958 (2006)) only, marine debris is defined as any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes.

(b) NOAA and the Coast Guard have jointly promulgated the definition of marine debris in this part. NOAA's regulation may be found in 15 CFR part 909.

Sections it refers to

  • 15 CFR part 909

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.