Abstract

Plastic pollution in the oceans is an increasing environmental and fisheries problem. Microplastics (plastic pieces smaller than 5 mm in size) are being found in fish and invertebrates. The Florida Microplastic Awareness Project aims to raise awareness about microplastics, in part by having citizen scientists collect and analyze coastal water samples for the presence of microplastics. Volunteers and others in the community are asked to reduce their consumption/disposal of plastics. Sixteen coordinators around the state give presentations about microplastics to potential volunteers, then conduct hands-on trainings to show water collection and analysis techniques. Volunteers are asked to collect at least four samples during the year, filter them and observe the filters to count the number of pieces of plastic present. Data are used to populate a Google Map. People are asked to take a pledge to reduce their plastic waste. Data from over 800 water samples show that 89% contain at least one plastic item. On average, there are 7.7 pieces of plastic in a liter of coastal water. 83% of the plastic items are fibers/filaments. On average, people are pledging to make 3.5 of the suggested eight behavior changes to reduce plastic waste. In follow-up surveys, people are reporting having made an average of three behavior changes. People learning about microplastics are willing to take steps to reduce their contribution to the problem, but improvements in wastewater treatment plant filtration technology may be needed to address this issue.

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