- October 13, 2024
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A freezer door, some plastic bags, a toy doll's shoe, and lots and lots of cigarette butts.
Volunteers joined forces Sept. 4 for the city of Palm Coast's 14th-annual Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup. Commemorative T-shirts, as well as trash bags and gloves, were distributed at the Community Center
“Since 2008, the City of Palm Coast has utilized this event to not only clean up the Intracoastal Waterway, but as a way to bring our residents together,” Interim City Manager Denise Bevan said in a press release. “This is a family-friendly event that allows every participant to make an impact on our community by preserving and protecting the environment.”
Since 2008, volunteers have collected more than 20,000 pounds of trash. The event is supported by a $5,000 Florida Inland Navigation District grant.
Source: https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/publications-files/An_analysis_of_marine_debris_in_the_US_SUMMARY_508.pdf
September is Microplastics Awareness Month.
What are microplastics?
Microplastics are pieces of plastic debris that are 5 mm or less in size. Primary microplastics start out that small, while secondary microplastics begin as larger pieces of plastics — like plastic bottles or cigarette butts — and are degraded to microplastic size over time.
Why are they harmful?
Aquatic and marine animals — including threatened and endangered ones like sea turtles — can end up ingesting microplastics. The animals then may absorb toxins from the plastics themselves, or from harmful chemicals that can stick to plastic surfaces in the marine environment.
How can you reduce microplastics?
Source: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf%5CSS%5CSS64900.pdf
— Jonathan Simmons contributed to this report.