Beach litter items per unit of surface area in United States of America

United States of America: Beach litter items per unit of surface area was 7 num items per 100m2 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
7 num items per 100m2
Change on year
up 600.0%
World rank
69th
of 106 countries
All-time high
47 num items per 100m2
in 2022
All-time low
1 num items per 100m2
in 2015
Years of data
10
2015–2024

Beach litter items per unit of surface area in United States of America, 2015–2024

010203040502015201920242015: 1 num items per 100m22016: 20 num items per 100m22017: 21 num items per 100m22018: 12 num items per 100m22019: 14 num items per 100m22020: 5 num items per 100m22021: 25 num items per 100m22022: 47 num items per 100m22023: 1 num items per 100m22024: 7 num items per 100m2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num items per 100m2.

Analysis

United States of America recorded 7 num items per 100m2 for beach litter items per unit of surface area in 2024.

The figure is up 600.0% on the previous year and up 600.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, beach litter items per unit of surface area in United States of America peaked at 47 num items per 100m2 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1 num items per 100m2, in 2015.

United States of America ranks 69th of 106 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Beach litter items per unit of surface area in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters) in United States of America, 2015 to 2024.
Year num items per 100m2 Change
2015 1 num items per 100m2
2016 20 num items per 100m2 +1900.0%
2017 21 num items per 100m2 +5.0%
2018 12 num items per 100m2 -42.9%
2019 14 num items per 100m2 +16.7%
2020 5 num items per 100m2 -64.3%
2021 25 num items per 100m2 +400.0%
2022 47 num items per 100m2 +88.0%
2023 1 num items per 100m2 -97.9%
2024 7 num items per 100m2 +600.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 13.6 num items per 100m2 1 num items per 100m2 21 num items per 100m2 5
2020s 17 num items per 100m2 1 num items per 100m2 47 num items per 100m2 5

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 69 Kuwait 7 num items per 100m2 compare
  2. 69 Portugal 7 num items per 100m2 compare
  3. 72 Cyprus 6 num items per 100m2 compare
  4. 72 India 6 num items per 100m2 compare
  5. 72 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 6 num items per 100m2 compare
  6. 72 Uruguay 6 num items per 100m2 compare

See the full ranking of 140 places →

More development goals data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is beach litter items per unit of surface area in United States of America?
Beach litter items per unit of surface area in United States of America was 7 num items per 100m2 in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 47 num items per 100m2 in 2022.
What is the lowest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 1 num items per 100m2 in 2015.
How does United States of America rank for beach litter items per unit of surface area?
United States of America ranks 69th out of 106 countries with data for 2024.
Is beach litter items per unit of surface area rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is up 600.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United States of America data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Beach litter items per unit of surface area in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://development-goals.statizoid.com/stat/beach-litter-items-per-unit-of-surface-area-number-of-items-per-100-square-meters/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters)
Unit
num items per 100m2
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
140 places, 1,211 data points, 2015–2024
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