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Tell The EPA To Stop Corporations From Poisoning Our Oceans

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Sponsor: Free The Ocean

Toxic dumping is destroying marine life and threatening human health—demand action now to stop the pollution and hold decision-makers accountable before it’s too late.

Tell The EPA To Stop Corporations From Poisoning Our Oceans

Plastic bags choking turtles. Toxic waste sinking to the seafloor. Birds feeding cigarette butts to their young. This is what ocean dumping looks like—and it's happening on a massive scale.

Every year, industries dump millions of tons of garbage, chemicals, and mining waste into our oceans1. Some of it sinks. Some floats. Some gets eaten by sea life. All of it causes damage that spreads far beyond the waterline.

Our Oceans Are in Crisis

From coral reefs to deep-sea ecosystems, marine life is suffocating under the weight of our waste. In Papua New Guinea, independent reviews have called the dumping of mining waste an environmental catastrophe2. In the United States, decades of past dumping left behind radioactive barrels, chemical sludge, and heavy metals off our coasts3.

Today, the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) blocks many of the worst practices, but gaps remain. Vessels can still discharge some waste offshore. Mining companies in other parts of the world dump tailings directly into the ocean. Much of the plastic entering the sea does so through legal land-based routes. And the U.S. still hasn’t ratified the international treaty that bans most ocean dumping worldwide4.

Trash That Doesn’t Stay Put

This pollution doesn’t stay put. Ocean currents carry it across borders, turning isolated incidents into global threats. Dumped waste creates dead zones, contaminates seafood, and fills the bellies of animals already pushed to the brink5. Even remote coastlines and Indigenous waters are not spared.

We Can Still Act

We can’t afford to look away. We need stronger action now—from our lawmakers, from regulatory agencies, and from the corporations responsible. That starts with demanding accountability from the agencies tasked with protecting our oceans.

The Environmental Protection Agency and NOAA have the authority to close the loopholes. We need them to use it.

Raise your voice. Sign the petition to demand an end to ocean dumping and protect the health of our oceans, our food, and our future.

More on this issue:

  1. NOAA (13 Dec 2023), "Ocean Pollution and Marine Debris."
  2. Earthworks (12 Jun 2024), "Ditch Ocean Dumping."
  3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1 Mar 2024), "About the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act."
  4. NOAA (7 Feb 2024), "Marine Pollution: Ocean Dumping."
  5. BOATUS Foundation (22 Jan 2024), "Environmental Laws & Regulations."

The Petition

To the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA Administrator, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,

We, the undersigned, call on NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency to urgently strengthen protections against ocean dumping and enforce stricter regulations on all forms of marine pollution—especially those linked to industrial waste, mining operations, and plastic debris.

Every year, millions of tons of garbage and hazardous material enter our oceans. These pollutants do not vanish—they sink, swirl, and spread, threatening marine ecosystems, biodiversity, coastal economies, and human health. From entangled turtles to fish poisoned by microplastics, the impacts are visible and devastating. As the climate crisis worsens, ocean health becomes more vital than ever—not only for the survival of marine life but for the planet’s ability to absorb carbon and regulate climate.

The Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) was a monumental step forward when enacted in 1972. However, new threats demand renewed commitment. We urge NOAA and the EPA to:

  • Prohibit all remaining forms of ocean dumping of industrial and mining waste.
  • Expand enforcement and surveillance of offshore dumping activities.
  • Require corporations to adopt zero-discharge waste systems and report dumping incidents publicly.
  • Collaborate with global partners to halt cross-border dumping and support the ratification of the London Protocol.
  • Increase funding for marine debris cleanup and research on long-term ecosystem damage.

Clean oceans are not a luxury. They are a necessity for food security, climate stability, and the well-being of future generations. Protecting them is our shared responsibility.

By taking decisive action today, NOAA and the EPA can ensure a future where oceans remain vibrant, life-giving, and safe for all who depend on them.

Sincerely,

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