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Waste & Recycling October 04, 2016 10:30:36 AM

US EPA grant aims to curb plastic pollution in water bodies

Paul Ploumis
ScrapMonster Author
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $365,000 to local projects aimed at preventing plastic trash from entering New Jersey and New York water bodies.

US EPA grant aims to curb plastic pollution in water bodies

LOS ANGELES (Scrap Monster): The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $365,000 through the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) to local projects aimed at preventing plastic trash from entering New Jersey and New York water bodies. The funds were distributed to seven organizations.

The winners of the New York/New Jersey Aquatic Trash Prevention 2016 Grant Program are:

a)      NYC Department of Environmental Protection – $32,500

b)      North Hudson Sewerage Authority – $48,125

c)      The Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. – $56,425

d)     Hudson River Foundation/NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program – $67,693

e)      Cafeteria Culture – $60,111

f)       Bronx River Alliance – $52,866

g)      Clean Water Fund – $47,250

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection will use the grant money to fund a project that will encourage participating supermarkets and grocery stores to reduce their use of single-use bags. It intends to employ techniques including public outreach, market-based research and creative messaging to educate the supermarket industry and the communities on the bad impacts of plastic bags on water bodies.

The North Hudson Sewerage Authority will use the grant to fund its “Preventing Aquatic Trash” program. The program aims to reduce the volume of plastic trash entering the Hudson River from New Jersey by retrofitting 250 faceplate covers on catch basins in high volume traffic areas in Union City and West New York, New Jersey to capture trash before it enters waterways.

The Product Stewardship Institute (“PSI) will use the grant to reduce the amount of single-use plastics that are used by guests and customers of waterfront commercial properties along Long Island’s North Fork. The program will be implementing with active participation from local businesses.

The Hudson River Foundation will use the grant to collect data on how litter is generated and dispersed in New Jersey so as to formulate reduction strategies. The project involves outreach campaign to communities and stakeholders in the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary, which in turn will identify the most prominent sources and types of litter.

Cafeteria Culture will use the grant to fund its COMMUNITY ARTS+MEDIA for TRASH FREE WATERS project- a school-community partnership and demonstration project implemented in three low-income urban communities with the goal of reducing plastic street litter and increasing recycling. The project includes youth-led campaigns that focus on the negative environmental and health impacts of land-based plastic marine pollution.

The Bronx River Alliance’s “Project WASTE” (Waterway and Street Trash Elimination) will use the grant to reduce the amount of plastic trash entering the Bronx River from upstream sources.

The Clean Water Fund will use the grant to fund its “ReThink Disposable in Jersey” program- an initiative that helps the food industry reduce solid waste at the source by driving down the use of take-out packaging.

According to EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck, the above projects are instrumental in the sense that they try to reduce plastic waste by source. The grant aims to promote projects that help EPA achieve the goals of its Trash Free Waters program. As per estimates, world’s oceans are polluted by over 8 million metric tons of plastic every year. Studies indicate that there will be 1 ton of plastic for every 3 tons of fish in world’s oceans by 2025.

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