Marine pollution is a persistent and ongoing problem in the ocean. To address this issue, The State of California has established comprehensive program to protect water quality from pollutants, including nutrients, sediment, pathogens, and metals. Additionally, California has taken ambitious steps to address trash in watersheds and marine ecosystems including: banning single use plastic-bags; adopting a policy prohibiting the discharge of trash from stormwater systems to watersheds and ocean waters; and setting a goal of requiring that 75 percent of solid waste be either source reduced, recycled, or composted by the year 2020.

To continue addressing the impacts of marine pollution, the State of California commits to: 1) researching, developing, and validating trash monitoring methodologies to assess the effectiveness of the policy prohibiting trash discharge from stormwater systems; 2) developing a policy model for comprehensive statewide packaging materials management reform to achieve the 75 percent reduction by 2020; 3) updating the States Ocean Litter Strategy, which will include goals and priority actions that can be taken by government agencies, non-profits and others to reduce plastic pollution in waterways and improve waste management inland; and 4) continue engaging students and the general public in ongoing, annual beach and inland waterway cleanup efforts to remove accumulated trash before it can enter the ocean.

These actions will significantly reduce marine plastic pollution from land-based activities; the products and policies developed by Californians prior and current actions can be used as a policy package by other governments to reduce and prevent marine pollution.