What You Can Do About Trash Pollution in Your Waterways

Looking for more ways to reduce the amount of trash you produce? You can make a big difference by:

Proper Trash Disposal

Get the scoop on stormwater in this video, which discusses green infrastructure and other resilient, cost-effective approaches to managing wet weather impacts.Marine litter is often the result of poorly-managed trash on land. If not disposed of properly, your trash can end up in waterways and flow downstream into the oceans. In fact,80% of the marine litter found on coastlines during cleanups and surveys originated from land-based sources.

• Check your town, city, or county government website to learn how to dispose of trash and recycling in your area (including what items are recyclable).

• Put recycling and trash in the appropriate bins, not next to them or on top of an overflowing bin.Leaving materials outside of bins increases risks to sanitation workers, can attract pests, and contributes to litter.

• Make sure your trash bins are covered and secured at night and during storms.

Tips and reminders on waste management during and after COVID-19

• Properly dispose of your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).Remember to throw your masks, wipes, and latex gloves in the trash and not in the street, parking lot, or sidewalk. Para ver una infografía en español, haga clicaquí.

• Keep Personal Protective Equipment out of the recycling bin.

  
  View a video produced by the San Juan National Estuary Program in Puerto Rico regarding proper disposal techniques for Personal Protective Equipment during COVID-19. (En Español)

• During this time, many of us are home for longer periods of time. You may notice you are generating more material than normal. Be sure torecycle more, recycle right.

• If someone in your home has COVID-19, treat your recyclables as trash.

Cleanups and Community Engagement

Students participated in a litter audit in Masonville Cove, MD to remove trash from the environment and to collect data on the types of litter they found. Will Parson, 2017.Getting engaged in your community and taking an active role in cleaning up your neighborhood can have a large influence on the amount of trash that reaches our water. Invite your friends, family, and classmates to join in!

• Organize and participate in local waterway cleanups.

• Collect dataon what you find!

• Organize a class presentation forAmerica Recycles Day.

• Use theMarine Debris Campus Toolkitto bring positive change to your university.

Education Leads to Action

Students involved in their school's waste reduction program which includes a large marine litter education component. One Cool Earth (NOAA), 2017.