Trash-Free Waters Webinars
The goal of the Trash-Free Waters Webinar Series is to promote increased knowledge and understanding of existing TFW place-based efforts, innovative solutions to addressing marine litter, and the sources, distribution and impacts of plastics and microplastics in the environment. The featured presenters are experienced stakeholders and researchers in this field.
When available, upcoming webinars will appear directly below so please check back often.
Past Webinar Recordings
- Experiences and Lessons Learned from Trash Capture Projects
- The Current State of Local Single-Use Plastic Policies in the U.S.
- Trash Free Texas' "Adopt-A-Spot" Tool Webinar
- Brett Howell Cleanup Expedition to Henderson Island
- Impacts of Plastics in the Aquatic Environment - Dr. Chelsea Rochman
- Sources and Distribution of Microplastics in the Environment - Dr. Kara Lavender Law
- Contaminants Associated with Microplastics - Dr. Bart Koelmans
- Risk Assessment of Plastics and Microplastics - Dr. Denise Hardesty
- Plastics in the Deep Sea - Dr. Lucy Woodall
- Waste Management of Plastics and Upstream Solutions - Dr. Jenna Jambeck
- Preventing Marine Debris through Outreach and Education - Krista Stegemann
- Reducing Plastic Pollution with Better Products and Policies - Dr. Jason McDevitt
The Following Links Exit the SiteEXIT
Experiences and Lessons Learned from Trash Capture Projects
Speakers:
• Darryl Haddock, Education Director, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance
• Matt Robinson, Environmental Protection Specialist, Washington DC Department of Energy & Environment
• Chris Sommers, Vice President-Project Management, EOA Inc.
November 5, 2020
Trash capture devices can be effective interventions for reducing the amount of trash in our waterways, particularly in areas with heavy trash loads in municipal runoff. However, there are many considerations to take into account when determining whether a trash capture project is appropriate for a given area and when designing, implementing, and maintaining the project. ThisTrash Free Waters webinar brings together experts who have planned and implemented trash capture projects in watersheds across the country for a discussion of lessons learned from their experiences.
- Webinar Recording: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GNDdam4wnhWtEN5VIEaZ5-O8dyLYUGcG/view (this recording works best using Internet Explorer)
The Current State and Uncertain Future of Local Policies on Single-Use Plastics in the U.S.
Subject matter experts from local and state government and the Surfrider Foundation
July 9, 2020
This webinar explores recent developments in the creation and implementation of state and local plastic policies across the country. Panelists discuss the challenges of reducing plastic waste at the state and local level, including the ways in which public health concerns may factor into decision-making around single-use plastics.
- Webinar Recording: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MXGjrtwMQLOmqi56qRdE4CBrBzZTXzUH/view?usp=sharing (this recording works best using Internet Explorer)
Trash Free Texas: A Technology Platform Designed to Increase and Expedite the Adoption and Fostering of "Adopt-A-Spots" Throughout TX
Project champions from the City of Fort Worth, Keep Texas Beautiful, and Texas State University
April 15, 2020
This webinar provides a deep dive into a cutting-edge platform that marries litter hotspots and citizen activism in ways that prevent and reduce the flow of trash into our watersheds. Speakers explain the history, use and evolution of this important tool which can be exported and adapted to watersheds across the nation and abroad.
- Webinar Recording: https://drive.google.com/file/d/186SOg0_ESBakVWqYomH1jpBXiyHl0epe/view?usp=sharing (this recording works best using Internet Explorer)
Brett Howell Cleanup Expedition to Henderson Island
Brett Howell, Conservationist
December 11, 2019
Please watch for an interactive online discussion with Brett Howell about his recent trip to Henderson Island, an uninhabited coral atoll in the South Pacific's Pitcairn Islands which has become inundated with marine debris from across the globe. Listen in for a first-hand account of Brett's experience as well as a discussion of his efforts to help remediate the worldwide plastic pollution crisis.
- Webinar Recording: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kLLBTD8Z0AxGonwqie2-veAVI_WxK3bf/view?usp=sharing (this recording works best using Internet Explorer)
Webinar #1: Impacts of Plastics in the Aquatic Environment
Dr. Chelsea Rochman, University of Toronto
January 31, 2017
In this webinar, Dr. Rochman provides an overview of plastics sources, impacts and solutions, taking both ecological and human health concerns into account, and discusses major gaps in our current understanding of plastics pollution.
- Webinar Recording: https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/p178z2fe6lw/
(Note that the recording begins 1-2 minutes into Dr. Rochman's introductory remarks.)
Resources Referenced in the Webinar
- United Nations Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity: Marine Debris: Understanding, Preventing and Mitigating the Significant Adverse Impacts on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity (PDF)(81 pp, 905 K, About PDF)
- Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection: Sources, Fate and Effects of Microplastics in the Marine Environment: Part 2 of a Global Assessment
- GRID-Arendal: Marine Litter Vital Graphics
Webinar #2: Sources and Distribution of Microplastics in the Environment
Dr. Kara Lavender Law
February 28, 2017
In this webinar, Dr. Law provides an overview of microplastics sources and distribution including estimates of the global distribution of microplastics and their potential risks, and considers some practical solutions to reducing microplastics in the environment.
- Webinar Recording: https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/p94yae0oda6/
Resource Referenced in the Webinar
- Sea of Opportunity: Supply Chain Investments to Address Marine Plastic Pollution (includes "last chance capture")
Webinar #3: Contaminants Associated with Microplastics
Dr. Bart Koelmans
April 18, 2017
In this webinar, Dr. Koelmans provides an overview of how environmental contaminants interact with microplastics and whether microplastics act as carriers for these contaminants, including results from mathematical calculations and laboratory studies.
- Webinar Recording: https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/p8r4m3ddshd/
Webinar #4: Risk Assessment of Plastics and Microplastics
Dr. Denise Hardesty
April 25, 2017
In this webinar, Dr. Hardesty provides an overview of different approaches to estimate and understand the potential impacts of plastics and microplastics, including assessments for seabirds and sea turtles, as well as research that she and her colleagues have done to understand marine litter sources in Australia on a national scale.
- Webinar Recording: https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/p9d3sicodyt/
Resources Referenced in the Webinar
- Surowiecki, James. The Wisdom of Crowds. New York: Anchor Books, 2005
- Dr. Hardesty's Publications (scroll down page to "Publications").
Webinar #5: Plastics in the Deep Sea
Dr. Lucy Woodall
May 30, 2017
In this webinar, Dr. Lucy Woodall discusses the latest research that she and others are conducting to understand the presence and distribution of plastics in the deep sea, and how this plastic might impact marine life.
- Webinar Recording: https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/p8nxrlq0ua8/
Resources Referenced in the Webinar
- Litterbase
- The Deep Sea is a Major Sink for Microplastic Debris
- Woodall LC, Sanchez-Vidal A, Canals M, Paterson GLJ, Coppock R, Sleigh V, Calafat A, Rogers AD, Narayanaswamy B and Thomson R (2014). Royal Society Open Science, 1: 140317.
- Plastic Microfibre Ingestion by Deep-Sea Organisms
Taylor ML, Gwinnett C, Robinson LF and Woodall LC (2016). Scientific Reports, 6: 33997.
Webinar #6: Waste Management of Plastics and Upstream Solutions
Dr. Jenna Jambeck
June 27, 2017
In this webinar, Dr. Jenna Jambeck discusses her research on global waste management and mismanagement of plastics as well as potential solutions to reduce and prevent the release of plastic waste into the environment.
- Webinar Recording: https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/p5wopepx4qz/
Resources Referenced in the Webinar
Webinar #7: Preventing Marine Debris through Outreach and Education
Krista Stegemann
July 25, 2017
In this webinar, Krista Stegemann discusses NOAA-funded projects that aim to prevent marine debris through outreach and education, as well as strategies and educational resources for marine debris communication.
- Webinar Recording: https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/p6u08g3sjab/
Resource Referenced in the Webinar
Webinar #8: Reducing Plastic Pollution with Better Products and Policies
Dr. Jason McDevitt
August 29, 2017
Dr. Jason McDevitt discusses potential replacements for plastic products and how we can improve the ways in which we design materials and products to minimize their environmental impacts.
- Webinar Recording: https://epawebconferencing.acms.com/p1buvi95hlv/
Resource Referenced in the Webinar
- Information on the “Ecocyclable” approach https://ecocyclable.wm.edu/