Introduction:

Microplastics are small plastic pieces that are being found in bottled water, rivers, lakes and oceans. Our community uses a lot of plastic and much of it ends up in our waterways which the greater New Orleans area uses for recreation and is an important part of the economy.

Our main concern:

Fish and other aquatic animals eat microplastics. They are toxic to fish and people.

Obstacles and supporting information:

There haven't been many studies on microplastics but there are many articles that we found. Microplastics in our lakes and rivers are coming from larger plastic materials in litter and are also found in many beauty products that contain microbeads. The Mississippi river is used to transport microplastics so people in the area are less likely to be supportive of measures that they believe threaten the economy of our area. The Louisiana Chemical Association does not seem like it would be supportive of measures to reduce plastic pollution.

Who is engaged in this concern?

Barataria Preserve Environmental Education Center

Public Lab

What are the initial questions?

1. What bodies of water contain the most microplastics?
2. What is the largest source of microplastic pollution?
3. Are there bills that prohibit certain types of activities that we can help promote?