The Top Polluter in U.S. National Parks? Plastic.
From towering redwood forests and iconic rock formations to serene lakes and seashores, national parks make up some of the most diverse landscapes in the United States. It’s no wonder 300 million people visit these protected spaces every year to marvel at their beauty. Unfortunately, the natural landscapes are juxtaposed with single-use plastic items dropped on trails, overflowing dumpsters at campsites, and cigarette butts littering the forest floor.
Solving this problem starts with data – identifying which items, brands, and materials are commonly found across national parks can inform solutions at the federal, park, and individual levels. The Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz aims to do just that, by empowering community scientists around the country to log data on trash they find in national parks and federal lands.
Plastic in Parks… It’s a Problem.
In 2024, volunteers led TrashBlitz activations at 58 sites spanning the United States and Territories, from Chugach National Forest in Alaska to El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico. Sites included national parks and other lands managed by a federal agency, like Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Forests, and National Historic Landmarks. More than 12,500 pieces of trash were analyzed, with plastic making up a staggering 77% of the material identified.
While not included in the “Top Items” chart, plastic fragments made up 28% of the entire study. This is particularly alarming, as it indicates that existing plastic pollution is breaking down into smaller pieces, contributing to an abundance of microplastic pollution in the environment. In addition to collecting critical data, TrashBlitz events have the added benefit of removing plastic waste from parks before it can continue to break up into micro- and nanoplastics.
A Pattern of Corporate Responsibility
The findings highlight a concentrated pattern of responsibility when it comes to corporate polluters. Most common brands can be traced back to the same handful of parent corporations. For example, Gatorade, Aquafina, and Lay’s are all owned by PepsiCo Inc., while Starburst, KIND, and Wrigley’s Gum are under the Mars, Incorporated umbrella. A research paper published earlier this year, co-authored by 5 Gyres, found that just 56 companies are responsible for more than half of all branded plastic pollution, with food, beverage, and tobacco companies making up the top polluters globally.
The findings from the Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz mirror those results. Top brands identified included Marlboro, Gatorade, Camel, Kirkland, and McDonald’s. When the subsidiary brands are attributed to parent corporations, Philip Morris International, PepsiCo Inc., and Anheuser-Busch InBev emerge as the top corporate polluters.
The Policy Landscape
The TrashBlitz data underscores the need for an urgent shift away from the sale and distribution of single-use plastic items in national parks. The Department of the Interior issued Secretarial Order 3407 in 2022, calling for a reduction in the procurement, sale, and distribution of single-use plastic products and packaging in national parks by 2032. 5 Gyres launched the inaugural Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz campaign that same year, in an effort to support and advise more effective plastic pollution policy measures.
The good news is that the National Park Service (NPS) has made notable strides toward reducing plastic pollution in recent years. For example, Yosemite National Park and its main concessionaire, Yosemite Hospitality, stopped selling beverages packaged in single-use plastics across its retail and dining sites. However, we’ve seen progress like this hindered in the past. In 2011, NPS began the implementation of a similar policy to phase out single-use plastic water bottles. More than 20 national parks, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Zion, successfully stopped the sale of plastic water bottles, eliminating nearly 2 million disposable plastic bottles and saving up to 111,743 pounds of plastic. Unfortunately, this policy was reversed in 2017 by the Trump Administration, and the same thing can happen to Secretarial Order 3407.
Now more than ever, we need legislation, like The Reducing Waste in National Parks Act, that would codify Secretarial Order 3407 into law. Passing legislation is crucial, as it prevents future administrations from reversing the policy and allowing the sale and distribution of single-use plastics in national parks to continue. With the new administration taking office in January, it remains to be seen whether recent progress reducing plastic in parks is rolled back.
What Can YOU Do?
As park visitors, individuals can play a vital role in minimizing waste and protecting park ecosystems. Next time you’re planning a trip to a national park, consider these tips:
Prep & Pack Thoughtfully
Bring your own reusable items, such as water bottles, coffee cups, food containers, and utensils, to minimize your footprint. Some of our favorite plastic swaps for the outdoors are Bee’s Wraps, Klean Kanteen food boxes, and bamboo utensils. Plus, check out our limited-edition Plastic-Free Parks tumbler to make a statement while directly supporting the campaign! Disposable wipes, which are actually plastic, are also a pervasive issue in parks and can be easily replaced with a reusable washcloth and soap. We love Plaine Products’ travel soap as a refillable, plastic-free option. Another tip while packing is to remove fruit stickers, clothing tags, and bread tags/twist ties before heading out on an adventure. These pesky items were commonly found across parks, especially at campsites, so it’s best to dispose of them properly in advance.
Pack In, Pack Out
Aim to adopt a “pack in, pack out” philosophy by making a concentrated effort to carry out everything you bring in. By taking trash and recyclables home, you can help keep trails, campsites, and gateway communities clean, allowing wildlife and future visitors to enjoy pristine conditions. Nothing should be left behind, and that includes cigarette butts, wipes, napkins, and toilet paper.
Join the TrashBlitz Effort
Next time you’re visiting a national park or federal land, take part in community science! The Plastic-Free Parks project is entirely dependent on volunteer data, so you can play a crucial role in driving forward solutions that protect our parks from plastic pollution. It’s as easy as downloading the TrashBlitz app, picking up trash as you see it, and logging your findings (item, brand, material) into the app as you go. Sign up to volunteer to receive more resources and training materials straight to your inbox!
Volunteers at a TrashBlitz event with Clean Miami Beach outside of Everglades National Park