Microplastic and Marine Debris Research
Marine debris, or marine litter, is any persistent human-created solid material that has ended up in a marine or aquatic environment, either intentionally or accidentally. Floating marine litter tends to accumulate along coastlines and in oceanic gyres. It is a global problem, no corner of the ocean, even the most remote shorelines, is devoid of our trash. Marine debris poses serious risks to ecosystem health, entangling marine life, being accidentally ingested, leaking toxins into the environment and even transporting non-native species. Furthermore, marine debris can impact human economies, impacting tourism as dirty beaches covered in trash entice few tourists. Glass shards and other hazardous debris can even injure humans along beaches and shorelines. With ~80% of marine debris originating from land-based sources, individual actions and waste management have a significant impact on our neighboring waterways and the ocean. The Hudson River watershed covers almost 13,400 square miles where water flows from the land to the Hudson River. The actions taken by nearly 5 million people living in the Hudson River watershed dictate the health of the Hudson.
Crowdsourcing and collective action are powerful tools that can address local plastic pollution. Plastic marine debris over time degrades into microplastics and subsequently nanoplastics; we have yet to fully understand all the implications these small plastic particles have on human and ecosystem health. Through community scientists and student interns, we will be able to collect data that can grow our understanding of the distribution and potential sources of marine debris in the Hudson, increase awareness and environmental stewardship around the challenge of marine debris and microplastics pollution.
Check out the Data!