This dataset presents information on litter collected in 40 transects surveys conducted in rural, urban and protected areas on Santa Cruz island, Galápagos. Litter was collected between 8 and 18 July 2023 and data were subsequently analysed at the University of Exeter laboratory. Each transect survey covered an area of 200m2. The dataset includes characteristics of the surveyed transects, location information, the number and weight of litter items collected by category and subcategory, data on human movement and the polymer type, colour and texture of litter. The data were collected to explore alternatives for reducing inland plastic waste through a circular economy approach. This work is part of a NERC funded project (NE/V005448/1), that aims to reduce plastic in the Galápagos Islands and the Eastern Pacific. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/f7ae5395-8ed8-4046-acbd-4bdc699340e3