LITTER
Don't let your trash become litter! When it's not disposed of or secured properly, rain and wind can carry waste from your recycle, compost, or trash bin into storm drains, streams, canals, and rivers, and eventually Lake Erie. For example, a cigarette butt tossed on the ground might wash into a storm drain and travel through the stormwater system, which leads directly into our waterways. Cigarette butts contain materials like plastic that will remain in the environment for many years.
Aquatic Trash or Marine Debris
Marine debris is "any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "Anything human-made and solid can become marine debris once lost or littered in these aquatic environments.” Aquatic trash is litter from our smaller waterways, such as ditches, creeks, streams, and rivers. You can also think of aquatic trash as marine debris that just hasn't made it to the ocean or Great Lakes (yet).
All litter is just mismanaged waste, which can become aquatic trash or marine debris when it enters our local waterways. Litter can enter our waterways in many ways, including:
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Cars and trucks
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Garbage and recycling Bins
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Pedestrians
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Illegal dumping
The best thing you can do to protect our waterways from litter is to put trash where it belongs. Make sure your trash is securely bagged to prevent your waste from becoming litter.
Impacts of Litter
Mismanaged trash that becomes litter can create many problems for aquatic ecosystems. This waste harms water quality, endangers plants and animals, and pollutes the outdoor spaces we enjoy and rely upon. Litter can also serve as a breeding ground for bacteria or pests, and even cause fires. Recreation, tourism, and the economy can all be negatively affected when litter accumulates in our waterways.
When exposed to trash in our waterways, wildlife can ingest the waste or become entangled. Wildlife that become entangled face the risk of suffocation or draining, and ingesting debris can damage their digestive tract and ability to feed. The presence of litter can lead to declining populations of fish and other wildlife that our ecosystems depend on.
Once in the water, aquatic trash is expensive to clean up, harms wildlife, and reduces the aesthetic and recreational value of waterways. To protect Lake Erie, and all our waterways, put your trash where it belongs.
Plastics
Although all types of aquatic trash and marine debris can have negatively impact aquatic ecosystems, plastics are the greatest concern because they are widely used and often persist in the environment. Plastic does not degrade as quickly as paper or wood, but breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics. These substances are found abundantly, with roughly 10,000 tons of plastic entering the Great Lakes each year.
What are some risks associated with plastics in freshwater ecosystem like the Great Lakes?
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Choking or entanglement of wildlife.
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Chemicals such as phthalates, which have been shown to interfere with normal hormone production in wildlife.
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Allows persistent organic pollutants to become attached and consumed by wildlife.
It is also troubling is that humans are also consuming plastics by eating fish and wildlife that have been exposed to pollution. The long-term effects of plastic consumption in both wildlife and humans are still unknown.
Mindfully disposing of your trash, including plastics, keeps them out of our waterways.
Put Trash Where It Belongs
There are seven things you can do to prevent litter from entering our waterways:
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Secure your trash can with a lid and make sure your trash bags are securely tied shut.
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Use reusable bags when shopping, not just for groceries but whenever you would otherwise use a plastic grocery bag
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Drink tap water in a reusable bottle when on the go.
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Use an ashtray and properly dispose of cigarette butts so they don't reach our waterways.
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Use reusable mugs, tableware, packing material, and gift wrap whenever possible.
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Remove litter before it has a chance to enter our waterways.
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Whenever outside in a natural space, leave no trace.
Local Litter Clean Up Efforts
Partners across Northwest Ohio are working together to reduce and clean aquatic trash.
Toledo Trash Trappers is a recent effort supported by the EPA's Trash Free Great Lakes grant program. A trash trap is a mechanical system consisting of a floating boom and net that funnels and gathers floating debris before it can reach primary waterways like streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Visit City of Toledo | Trash Trappers (oh.gov) to learn more about this program.
Partners for Clean Streams (PCS) works to preserve clean, clear, and safe water in Northwest Ohio and beyond.
PCS hosts multiple programs throughout the year to clean litter out of our local waterways, the largest of which is an annual Clean Your Streams Day held each September.
During last year's event, almost 15,000 pounds of debris was removed from 37 river miles in the region. This effort was made possible by 723 volunteers at 70 different clean-up locations.
To learn more about PCS and how you can get involved with keeping out waterways clear, visit Partners for Clean Streams – Clean, clear, and safe water in Northwest Ohio.
Additional Resources
Keep America Beautiful 2020 National Litter Study
Turning the Tide of Trash: Marine Debris Curriculum