Photo: Clearing plastic pollution at the Clean Coast Clean Waters Cleanup, Quatsino Territory Hecht Beach March 14, 2025 © Ocean Legacy Foundation
On remote shorelines along Canada’s Pacific coast, the tide often brings in unwelcome surprises. Alongside the expected shells and driftwood, there has been a surge of plastic debris washing ashore, including broken containers and other fragments of everyday products.
Over the last 60 years, global plastic production has grown exponentially. Inexpensive, lightweight, and durable, it is now used across a broad range of applications, from packaging and household goods to marine equipment. But the same durability that makes plastic so useful also makes it difficult to manage once its purpose is served.
Today, it’s estimated that more than 75 per cent of all plastics ever produced have become waste, much of it accumulating in landfills, rivers, and oceans. Plastic pollution has been discovered everywhere from the deepest ocean trenches to mountain peaks more than 3,000 metres above sea level. Along the way, it entangles wildlife, damages fragile ecosystems, and can even transport invasive species into sensitive habitats.
The good news is that this challenge is being met with growing momentum by non-profits, community partners, and businesses working to keep plastics out of nature and build responsible end-of-life pathways for what’s already there.
EPIC: The Bridge Between Cleanup and a Circular Economy
Founded in 2013, Ocean Legacy Foundation (OLF) is a Canadian non-profit organization helping drive that momentum forward, to end ocean plastic waste through practical, systems-based solutions.
OLF’s approach is delivered through EPIC, an integrated model built on four pillars: Education, Policy, Infrastructure, and Cleanup. Together, these pillars link shoreline recovery to long-term solutions that keep plastic from cycling back into landfills and ecosystems. With EPIC in place, cleanup becomes more than a “one-and-done” effort. Plastic is collected, sorted, and assessed so it can be handled properly, then processed into new, long-lasting products instead of ending up in a landfill.
In 2025, OLF helped divert 2M+ pounds of recovered plastic away from landfills and coastal environments, supported 38+ kilometres of shoreline cleaned (with 35.5K+ pounds removed), and diverted 95 per cent of recovered material from landfills. The Ocean Plastic Depot Network also grew to nearly 300 consistent users, making it easier for more communities and marine operators to take action.
Where possible, recovered marine plastics can be turned into Legacy Plastic™, a recycled material used in durable items such as plastic lumber and moulded goods. OLF’s Plastic Analysis Lab supports this work by testing and identifying different types of plastics, thereby improving quality and ensuring that recovered material can be recycled responsibly.
Scaling Solutions for Coasts and Communities
Not every coastline has the same capacity to respond. Some remote and coastal communities face sudden surges of debris, especially “ghost gear” (abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear), and may not have the equipment or waste systems needed to manage large volumes quickly.
OLF’s Plastic Pollution Emergency Response Facility model supports communities with rapid response, material recovery, and practical steps that make transportation and recycling possible, such as preparing and consolidating materials for efficient shipping and handling. It’s designed to be repeatable, so other regions can adopt a proven approach rather than starting from scratch each time debris arrives with the tide.
Meanwhile, EPIC Academy helps everyday people understand the problem and be part of the solution. The program offers a 10-lesson learning series with quizzes and a digital Certificate of Completion, with a goal of educating one million people by 2027. In 2025, the Academy reached participants in 118+ countries, and OLF supported 28+ additional community cleanups.
Ultimately, the goal is to stop plastic from becoming pollution in the first place. That means pairing shoreline cleanups with real systems for sorting, processing, and keeping materials out of nature for good. It’s progress you can see—and something communities, businesses, and everyday people can be part of.
