| Coastal Carolina Riverwatch partnered with the City of Jacksonville Stormwater Department and installed a “Trash Trout” litter collection device on Scales Creek this week.
This device floats on the surface of the water and collects floating debris (including single-use plastics).
This is part of a statewide microplastics research and pollution prevention infrastructure project sponsored by Waterkeepers Carolina and funded through the NC Environmental Enhancement Grant.
This is a community collaborative effort that:
- Prevents plastic (anything larger than a post it note), and other debris from continuing downstream to the ocean;
- Offers citizen science participation opportunities;
- Collects data to further improve prevention efforts; and
- Showcases how local governments and grassroots water quality protection nonprofits can work together to engineer long-term and expandable pollution prevention measures.
“Collecting this data will engage our community in plastic reduction advocacy, identify additional research needs, and help in establishing the need for future plastic policies. We are so grateful for all our partners on this project. Though plastic pollution is an incredible challenge, through collaboration we believe we can make meaningful change.” – Rebecca Drohan, Coastal Carolina Waterkeeper
What’s next for CCRW and plastic pollution prevention? Next week, we are hosting the Duke Policy and Law Clinic, and collaborators, at the Duke University Marine Lab for the NC Plastic Policy Workshop. For agenda and registration info: https://www.ncmarinedebrissymposium.com/
Also, learn more about plastic pollution and it’s impacts on local coastal fisheries here: https://coastalcarolinariverwatch.org/water-quality-for-fisheries/ |
Coastinista 