Plastic Pollution Impacts on Coastal North Carolina

Posted on January 19, 2022

Plastic Pollution Impacts on Water Quality are a Top Priority for Coastal Communities

PHOTO: B. Monteleone, 2021

Coastal Carolina Riverwatch (CCRW) is home to the North Carolina Marine Debris Symposium (NCMDS). Created through collaboration, the NCMDS is the first sustained annual marine debris program in the State. Partners include the Plastic Ocean Project, featured here in the above photo showcasing micro-plastic research.

As part of the CCRW Water Quality for Fisheries Program, plastic pollution has been identified as one of the top five water quality impacts to coastal North Carolina fisheries.

Plastic pollution has received a significant amount of media attention the last few years, but there is still a dire need to establish regulatory policies and implement effective infrastructure in order to mitigate the harmful impacts of plastics on aquatic ecosystems.

Plastics can increase toxicity in water and marine life due to the presence of chemical additives that can leach out. Each year, between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean worldwide. Unfortunately, only 10% of plastics produced globally actually goes through the recycling process while the rest enters the environment, sits in landfills, or burns (Michelson, 2021).

“We cannot recycle-away the coastal concerns regarding plastic pollution. It will take improved infrastructure, strong policy and enforcement, continued research, and collaborative outreach to make long-lasting and sustainable change. With greater than 1,200 marine species impacted by plastic pollution, the time to act is now.”

– Lisa Rider, Executive Director, CCRW

Stay tuned next month to read more about plastic pollution impacts on water quality and fisheries during the launch of CCRW’s Water Quality for Fisheries Assessment.

Join us for the NC

Plastic Policy Workshop

Hear from plastic policy experts in North Carolina.

Learn how local government planners, solid waste representatives, and local elected officials can help create change.

When:

April 29th, 2022

1-5pm

Where:

Carteret County, NC and

Virtually Everywhere

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