Scaling Impact
Advancing Citizen Science for Litter Data
What happens when individual action meets thoughtful design? It scales.
At the 2026 Plastic Pollution Symposium, KTB’s Senior Program Manager of Research and Cleanups, Kirsten Sorensen, shared how we’re evolving our approach to litter data collection through citizen science and the Texas Litter Database.
Historically, litter data collection has been limited by time, capacity, and geography. By simplifying tools, refining training, and integrating data collection into existing cleanups, we’re making it easier for individuals to contribute meaningful, high-quality data.
This work—supported in part by our EPA grant—is helping expand participation, improve data consistency, and build a growing network of trained volunteers. The goal is simple: make it easier for more people to contribute to a clearer picture of litter in Texas, and to turn that data into action.