NYSG’s Jake Anderson and RIT’s Dr. Christy Tyler sorting and categorizing stormwater-derived marine debris captured with Littatrap technology. Credit: RIT

Contact:

Jake Anderson, NYSG Water Quality Specialist, E: ja843@cornell.edu, P: (585) 672-7065

NYSG strives to preserve and restore the health of coastal and aquatic ecosystems through innovative research and collaboration for the benefit of present and future generations

Rochester, NY, March 25, 2024 - Marine debris is a complex global and local problem that degrades human and ecosystem health. Marine debris has many sources, ranging from derelict vessels to micro-fibers. Plastics are ubiquitous in everyday life and largely end up in oceans. In 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) launched the Marine Debris Challenge Competition with funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (BIL).

New York Sea Grant (NYSG) was awarded $5.2 million through a National Sea Grant marine debris funding opportunity for three projects: one each in the New York City, Hudson River Estuary, and Rochester areas. The projects are studying the removal of plastics from laundry systems, surface waters, and stormwater catch basins respectively and are designed to reduce plastic pollution in rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Microfibers shed during the laundry process are an increasing concern for human and environmental health. NYSG hired an Extension Specialist to work with researchers at Columbia University and underserved communities in NYC to foster awareness of microfibers and develop remediation solutions.

In the Hudson River estuary, NYSG will partner with PolyGone Systems to pilot a device that removes microplastics from surface waters. NYSG’s role will include facilitating community connections, convening an advisory community of local stakeholders, and creating outreach and education materials about marine debris for Hudson River estuary stakeholders. 

NYSG is assisting researchers from the Rochester Institute of Technology with implementing storm drain trash-capturing technology to remove debris from Lake Ontario and surrounding watersheds. NYSG outreach and extension in environmental justice areas aims to spark local interest in removal of anthropogenic debris from Lake Ontario.

Project Partners: 

• Rochester Institute of Technology 
• NOAA 
• Monroe County Department of Environmental Services 
• City of Rochester Departments of Recreation and Human Services and Environmental Services 
• Seneca Park Zoo 
• Rochester Museum and Science Center 
• H2OHero 
• Shawn Goburn/SRG Management Firm 
• Council of the Great Lakes Region 
• PolyGone Systems 
• Center for the Urban River at Beczak 
• Columbia University 
• Stony Brook University 
• North Carolina State University 
• North Carolina Sea Grant


More Info: New York Sea Grant

New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York (SUNY), is one of 34 university-based programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program.

Since 1971, NYSG has represented a statewide network of integrated research, education and extension services promoting coastal community economic vitality, environmental sustainability and citizen awareness and understanding about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources.

Through NYSG’s efforts, the combined talents of university scientists and extension specialists help develop and transfer science-based information to many coastal user groups—businesses and industries, federal, state and local government decision-makers and agency managers, educators, the media and the interested public.

The program maintains Great Lakes offices at Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Oswego, the Wayne County Cooperative Extension office in Newark, and in Watertown. In the State's marine waters, NYSG has offices at Stony Brook University and with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County on Long Island, in Queens, at Brooklyn College, with Cornell Cooperative Extension in NYC, in Bronx, with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County in Kingston, and with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County in Elmsford.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and YouTube links. NYSG offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/nycoastlines for its flagship publication, NY Coastlines/Currents, which is published quarterly.