Ocean Blue Project is committed to its mission of protecting our One World Ocean with the rollout of our new Microplastics Recovery Program. Microplastics are miniscule pieces of plastic about two millimeters in size that litter the environment. These plastics pollute the oceans and rivers, and their ecosystems. Now microplastics and nanoplastics are turning up in our food chain and studies are inconclusive about the extent of harm they cause to humans.Â
Our Microplastics Recovery Program works to reduce this waste from beaches and rivers. With the help of volunteers and beach cleaning machines and techonology, we can not only recover microplastics but collect data that may affect systemic change and stem microplastic pollution at its sources.
To get there, Ocean Blue Project is taking a multipronged approach through Fundraising, Partnerships, Volunteer Cleanups, Data Collection and Analysis, and Policy Proposals.
Our Micoplastics Recovery Program is dedicated to ridding our beaches and rivers of bottle caps, bottles, nurdles, needles, and more debris that is harming our environment. Major improvements to pollution can be made through:
Improved recycling programs along the coast
Ban on plastic cutlery, straws, and single-use beverage cups
Awareness campaigns through public art, installations, and school programs
State-investment in researching plastic-alternative materials
Additionally, through youth education programs and teach community members to become stewards is key to lowering plastic pollution from entering our Ocean.Â
Ocean cleanup technology has developed sand filtration machines to clean our beaches more effectively. These machines have been made possible by the Ohrstrom Foundation’s Next Generation Committee.
Small Machine - $7,800 Funded by Ohrstrom Foundation.
Large Machine - $62,000
San Diego State University
Oregon State University
Washington University
Patagonia
Boxed Water
Toms
To be proposed:
City of Manzanita
Lincoln City
To be proposed:
Oregon State Parks
Ocean Blue Project has created partnerships with universities to help us better define our research metrics and to process data as new information comes in. State and local government partnerships allow for effective, research-based policy changes to be made to stem novel microplastic pollution.
Beach cleanups are part of Ocean Blue Project’s commitment to protecting the world’s ocean. Plastic of all shapes and sizes are harmful to the environment, from the water to the organisms who accidentally digest it. If you eat seafood, you are at risk of ingesting microplastics as well.Â
Volunteers donate their time so they can help reduce plastic pollution and cleanup beaches around the United States, beautifying the beaches one by one. With the new sand filtration machines, that task is now easier, but it is still daunting. Donate your time to help protect our oceans, beaches, and rivers. Working with partners helps grow the impact and saves marine wildlife animals.Â