x>EPA
United States
Environmental Protectio
Agency
EPA-842-N-14-002A
April, 2015
The Flow of., Trash Free Waters
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
EPA's Roles
Microplastics
TFW in the:
Lower Mid-Atlantic
Guam
Gulf of Mexico
Puerto Rico
Region IX
NY/NJ
The Rapids: News Drops
^^m
Recent TFW
Strategy/Project
Related Meetings
Planning Meeting
March 26, 2015
Final Meeting:
Port of New Orleans TFW
Port Policy
March 30, 2015
Final Meeting: Louisiana
Aquatic Litter Alliance
April I, 2015
Upcoming Events
April 22, 2015
Mobile Bay Trash Boat
Competition and
Community
Empowerment
May 2, 2015
HOW IS IT FLOWING?
This newsletter, intended for
our Trash Free Waters (TFW)
partners and friends, provides
the latest information
regarding our TFW progress
across the US.
We have made tremendous
strides over the last several
months as we expand our
national TFW program. The
Flow of... Trash Free Waters is
our opportunity to highlight
that progress, as well as shine
a spotlight on some award
winners in our midst. It's
wonderful to see our TFW
friends receive recognition as
they bring TFW Strategies and
Projects to fruition, as well as
help their communities, and
our national efforts, move
towards trash free waters.
There's still much more to be
done. Lessons learned from
our recent successes will lend
itself to even more successes
elsewhere.
We thank you and your
colleagues for the work you do
to reduce, and ultimately
prevent, trash from entering
our watersheds, rivers,
estuaries, and coastal waters.
Additionally, please join me in
thanking Matt Colombo for his
past efforts on the National
TFW Program Team and
wishing him well in his future
endeavors at EPA's
Underground Injection
Control Program. Lastly, we
welcome Rahul
Madhusudanan as our new
ORISE participant who will
take on a role similar to
Mart's.
Please share/send your
successes of reducing trash
from entering our waters to
the National Program Team
Lead, Laura S. Johnson, at:
Johnson.Laura-S@epa.gov.
Trash Free Waters Noted at Conference on Marine Plastic Waste
and the Circular Economy
Speaking at an international
conference co-sponsored by
the International Sustainability
Unit of the Prince of Wales's
Charities and the Global Ocean
Commission, Undersecretary
Secretary of State, Catherine
Novelli, highlighted the
important US Federal
Government role as an
"enabler... of innovation and
solutions" to the problem of
keeping plastic trash out of the
ocean.
Undersecretary Novelli
mentioned the EPA Trash Free
Waters (TFW) program as
part of the US commitment
to address this critical
challenge. She noted the
contributions of TFW and
other Federal programs to
the cause of global waste
reduction, and urged a
strong focus on creating
more effective waste
management infrastructure
and developing innovative
approaches to greatly
increase recycling, waste-
to-energy, and packaging
redesign.
Her remarks set up a day of
discussions among the 100
attendees, including EPA
participants from the
Office of Water, the Office
of International and Tribal
Affairs, and our Region 2
office. The day was capped
off with keystone remarks
by the Prince of Wales, in
which he also called for
innovative, systemic
approaches to lay the
foundation for productive
reuse of plastic waste.
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The Flow of.. Trash Free Waters
What is EPA's National
Trash Free Waters
Program?
A strategic approach to
support aquatic trash
prevention and
reduction initiatives by
many public, private,
and nonprofit
stakeholders.
Our Economic White
Paper looks at the
direct and indirect
costs to society to
manage aquatic
trash. We anticipate
the release of this
document in
Spring 2015!
EPA's Role in Achieving Trash Free Waters
EPA is developing unique
and tailored regional
strategies with projects to
enhance federal, state and
local programs that reduce
or prevent aquatic trash
from entering our
watersheds and ultimately
our coastal ecosystems.
Generally speaking, our
Headquarters Team, our
Regional Offices and our
consultants:
• Serve as a catalyst/
convener of strategic and
tactical planning
processes;
• Identify "champions" to
serve as project leads on
the ground where these
projects are evolving;
• Consult with and to local
governments, businesses,
non-governmental
organizations, and citizen
stakeholders;
• Identify collective actions
that enhance trash
prevention "drivers" and
remove "barriers;"
• Facilitate project
implementation; and
• Measure results.
Through these and other
activities, EPA hopes to
achieve marked
reductions in the flow of
trash in our nation's waters
and along our shores.
To date, we have been
successfully implementing
our regional strategy with
projects in the Gulf of
Mexico, and we are well on
our way to publishing and
implementing our regional
strategy with projects in the
Middle Atlantic States, New
York and New Jersey, as well
as Puerto Rico. Plans are in
process to expand beyond
these areas as we move into
2016.
Summary of Expert Discussion Forum on Possible Human Health
Risks from Microplastics in the Marine Environment
(Contact Johnson.Laura-S@epa.gov; (202) 566-1273)
Trash and litter entering
inland waterways, coastal
waters, and oceans has
become a pervasive
problem, causing aesthetic
blight, economic impacts,
and possible
bioaccumulation by aquatic
organisms. The majority of
trash entering these waters
comes from land-based
sources, including commonly
found, single-use, plastic
items such as bags, bottles,
food containers and
wrappers, and food service
ware.
In April 2014, EPA's National
Trash Free Waters Program
asked the National Research
Council to convene subject
matter experts in a
discussion forum to examine
the potential for the
bioaccumulation in the
marine food web of toxic
chemicals from small, plastic
particles (microplastics), and
the likelihood of risk to
human health from
consumption of seafood
contaminated via the
microplastic pathway.
This meeting summary
highlights overarching
themes for priority research
to better understand the
toxicity and exposure to
toxic chemicals in in
microplastics. To access this
meeting summary, go to
http://water.epa.gOV/type/o
ceb/marinedebris/.
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The Flow of... Trash Free Waters
Page 3
TFW in the Lower Mid-Atlantic
(Contact Madhusudanan.Rahul@epa.gov; (202) 566-0821)
TFW in the Lower Mid-
Atlantic is moving
aggressively into the
implementation stages of
the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Strategy. The cornerstone of
the strategy involves the
publication of our "Great
Practices" Compendium -
due out in the Spring of
2015.
The remainder of our mid-
Atlantic regional strategy is
seeking to put projects on
the ground in each of five
major cities: Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Washington DC,
Hampton Roads, and
Richmond. Progress has
continued in recent months,
with meetings in each city
(except Philadelphia, where
conference calls were
employed more regularly).
The most significant
progress in in Richmond, VA
with stakeholders looking to
make a tangible difference
in advance of the "Union
Cycliste Internationale"
races September 19 to 27.
These "Road World
Championships" are a nine-
day event, featuring 12
Championship races for Elite
Men and Women. It is a rare
opportunity for the athletes
to compete for their
country, just as they do
during the Olympic Games.
Hundreds of thousands of
visitors are expected in what
is truly an international
event of global proportion.
In advance of "The Worlds"
Local leaders are looking to
install litter management
technologies so as to protect
the James River and Reedy
Creek-"Bandalong"
systems and Big Belly trash
cans are being considered.
Of interest to TFW is a
model for optimizing the
distribution of these
technologies.
Guam Marine Debris Action Plan Workshop, Guam
(Contact Cook.Anna-Marie@epa.gov; (415) 972-3029)
In January, 2015, EPA's
Region 9 office hosted a
Marine Debris Action Plan
Workshop together with
Guam EPA and a number of
other Guam and federal
agencies. The workshop
utilized a geographically
driven, priority based
approach to develop the
action plan, representing a
departure from previous
methods such as that used
in Hawaii. In attendance
were Guam EPA, Bureau of
Statistics, Department of
Agriculture, Guam Power
Authority (GPA), the Harbor
Master, industry
representatives, the US
Coast Guard, US Navy, and
the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
Guam's priorities and
strategies for marine debris
prevention (both land- and
ocean-based) and response
were presented and
discussed. Discussions and
action items focused on
Municipal Separate Storm
Sewer System (MS4)
permitting and emerging
zero trash to waterways
provisions (stakeholders
included the US Navy, GPA,
and Department of Public
Works), outreach and
education strategies and
initiatives (including beach
cleanup programs and
straw-free initiatives), and
response to abandoned and
derelict vessels -- of which
there are approximately 30
around Guam. Future
workshops are planned for
Saipan, and potentially
American Samoa.
Our "Great
Practices"
compendium for
the Lower
Middle Atlantic
States will be
published in the
Spring of 2015!
WHATISANMS4?
An MS4, Municipal
Separate Storm Sewer
System, is a
conveyance or system
of conveyances that
• Owned by a state,
city, town, village, or
other public entity
that discharges to
waters of the US;
•Designed or used to
collect or convey
stormwater (including
storm drains, pipes,
ditches, etc.);
•Not a combined
sewer; and
•Not part of a Publicly
Owned Treatment
Works (sewage
treatment plant).
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The Flow of.. Trash Free Waters
Earth Day April 22, 20V.
reflect on how our efforts
can further encourage
reduction of trash and
litter in our
neighborhoods and
waterways. Thinking
locally can help reduce
land-based sources of
trash that can ultimately
make it to our coastal
waters and oceans.
TFW in the Gulf of Mexico
(ContactJohnson.Laura-S@epa.gov; (202) 566-1273)
The Gulf of Mexico Regional
Strategy and Projects
document was released in
December, 2014 -- a short
six months after initial
stakeholder engagement.
The Strategy contains five
goals and describes the
seven projects undertaken
during the first round of
activity. TFW is now engaged
in five of those seven
projects:
• Tampa, FL: In
partnership with
NestleWaters, efforts
are underway to collect
and map litter and
aquatic trash data;
implement public
outreach strategies, and
undertake tactical
planning for Phase II efforts in
the Hillsborough River
Watershed.
Mobile, AL: Efforts include
the removal of litter and
aquatic trash from highly
vegetated riparian zones and
waterways in partnership
with other federal entities;
and the staging of a
competition among trash
boat technology innovators.
New Orleans, LA: Stakeholder
process to develop a Model
Port Policy for consideration
and implementation at
nation's ports; and working
with a diverse stakeholder
group to reduce and
eliminate litter and aquatic
trash from Port of New
Orleans property.
State of Louisiana:
Stakeholders State-wide
are working together to
develop a Template Local
Ordinance that could be
adapted and adopted by
local governments. This
ordinance includes
definitions, penalties and
fines, as well as a
suggested system for
enforcement and
adjudication.
Region-wide: Our
consultant team is
developing an "Atlas" of
state and local government
(for populations greater
than 100,000) policies and
programs that seek to
reduce or eliminate aquatic
trash in the environment.
TFW in Puerto Rico
(Contact mercado.noemi@epa.gov; (202) 566-1251)
The Puerto Rico (PR) Trash
Free Waters (TFW) Team
continues moving forward
with the planning stage to
develop a strategy with
projects to reduce and
prevent aquatic trash in
PR. On November 13, 2014
the San Juan Bay Estuary
Program and the Puerto Rico
Recycling Partnership hosted
a meeting with key
stakeholders from the public
and private sector to discuss
a set of actions that can help
to reduce, or even eliminate,
the volume of trash entering
the aquatic ecosystem. The
actions will respond to
Puerto Rico's needs and
priorities but also will
attempt to be aligned with
EPA's Region 2 TFW strategy
and projects for New York/
New Jersey, which is
centered primarily on "PBS"
materials (see p.5, TFW in
New York/New Jersey). Since
the November meeting, the
PR group identified seven
draft core projects that are
achievable, measureable,
and likely to be successful in
litter and aquatic trash
reduction and prevention
over a period of time (12-16
months). On March 26th, EPA
Region 2 hosted another
stakeholder discussion. It is
anticipated that the PR TFW
Strategy and Projects may
be finalized by late
spring/early summer.
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The Flow of... Trash Free Waters
PageS
Navy / EPA Region 9 Beach Cleanup Partnership
(Contact Weiler.Katherine@epa.gov; (202) 566-1280
On February 17-19, 2015,
EPA's Region 9 Marine
Debris Program (along with
staff from the San Diego
Border Office) partnered
with the US Navy to remove
trash and debris from three
military beaches in
Coronado, CA. This annual
event, which has been taken
place for the last three
years, is memorialized in the
Memorandum of
Understanding between the
US Navy and EPA Region 9.
At the event, EPA provided
guidance to the volunteers
regarding the trash data
collection process, educated
the volunteers about the
environmental threats
associated with marine
debris, and highlighted the
prevention and source
reduction efforts of the
Regional program. EPA will
use the trash data from the
cleanup to assist with the
source reduction efforts in
California and the Pacific
Islands Region. With 417
volunteers participating in
this year's effort, it was
possible to remove 4.15
tons of trash and debris.
Volunteers picked up and
disposed of items from the
tiniest, visible pieces of
plastic to larger items such
as plastic chairs, tires,
lobster traps, and pieces of
boats. Two of the beaches
are not normally accessible
to the public or the military,
indicating that the trash and
debris found and removed
from these beaches arrived
via the watershed, wind, or
ocean/bay currents.
TFW in New York and New Jersey
(Contactjohnson.laura-s@epa.gov; (202) 566-1273)
EPA headquarters is working
closely with our Region 2
office to continue the
development of a TFW New
Jersey and New York (NJ/NY)
Strategy with Projects. An
initial partnership planning
meeting, held on October
30, 2014, sought to gain a
better understanding of the
current state of aquatic
trash issues in NJ/NY,
develop strategies to reduce
trash entering NJ/NY
waterways, and to create
working groups centered on
targeted themes and
strategies. These Working
Groups are composed of
local government, non-profit
and private members and
are focused on creating and
implementing tangible
projects to reduce aquatic
trash consisting of Plastic:
Bags, microBeads/
microplastics, beverage
Bottles, food service Boxes
(including styrofoam), and
cigarette Butts. Collectively,
the waste streams are
referred to as "PBS." A
second planning meeting,
held on February 12, served
to build on the initial
meeting and subsequent
working group calls, and to
narrow down the extensive
list of project actions that
came out of the October
meeting. Continued working
group calls will further
narrow down the NJ/NY
Core TFW projects that have
the potential to form the
NJ/NY Strategy and Projects
Document moving forward.
Calling all...
CHAMPIONS!
We've found that a
critical component for
progress is having an
impassioned leader to
drive TFW projects from
development through
implementation.
If someone you know
has a great concept for
reducing and
preventing the amount
of litter and aquatic
trash entering large
aquatic ecosystems,
have them contact a
member of the EPA
National TFW team!
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The Flow of.. Trash Free Waters
ERA'S
National Trash Free
Waters Program
USEPA Headquarters
William Jefferson Clinton
Building
1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, N.W.
Mail Code: 4504T
Washington, DC 20460
National Team Lead:
Laura S. Johnson
Phone 202.566.1273
E-mail
Johnson.laura-S@epa.gov
Consultant
Adam R. Saslow
Phone 678.388.1670
E-mail
Saslow_Adam@sra.com
The Rapids: News Drops
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The 2015 Keep America Beautiful/Lowe's Community Improvement Grants: The program will
award $675,000 in grants to Keep America Beautiful Affiliates and State Recycling
Organizations for community improvement projects to be completed in 2015.
http://www.kab. org/site/PageServer?pagename=grants_Grant_applications
CDC SYMPOSIUM
On March 26-27, the Welch Foundation at Georgia State University (GSU), David J. Sencer
Museum of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Plastic Pollution
Coalition (PPC) jointly hosted the 2015 Welch Symposium, The Plastic GYRE: Artists, Scientists
and Activists Respond. The two-day symposium was part of the Atlanta Science Festival. It
featured a wide array of experts discussing current research, creative response, activism
mobilization, and industry best practices in a quest to address global plastic pollution. In
conjunction with the conference, several events were scheduled, including a partnership with
a major international art exhibition Gyre: The Plastic Ocean at The David J. Sencer CDC
Museum, film screenings, and a pop-up exhibition at the CDC Museum.
LEADERS AGAINST LITTER
On March 13, Leaders Against Litter held a statewide Keep Louisiana Beautiful (an affiliate of
Keep America Beautiful) event that recruits business and community leaders and elected
officials to "lead the way" against litter, and calls to action volunteers in local communities to
work for a cleaner, more beautiful Louisiana. This event provided a platform for state and local
leaders to actively "Speak Up, Pick Up, and Stand Up against litter."
AWARDS
Several of our TFW champions were recently recognized for their efforts. Among them:
• The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality presented an Environmental
Leadership Award to the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans. The
award recognizes environmental achievement for voluntary pollution prevention
efforts, community environmental outreach initiatives and environmental
management systems that are above and beyond regulatory compliance. The Port
received its award March 25 for its Stormwater Management Program, which
included educational outreach and employee involvement to mark storm drains
throughout the Port's property. Cathy Dunn, the Port's Director of Development and
Amelia Pellegrin, Environmental Services Director, received the award.
• The Barateria Terrabonne NEP was recognized by the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program
and was presented with the Gulf Guardian Award. Alma Robichaux and her team
demonstrated extraordinary leadership in coordinating the Bayou Lafourche Cleanup
with over 1000 volunteers and removing 25 tons of trash from the area's drinking
water supply.
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