Mississippi River Plastics Pollution Launch

Greenway Network, Inc is proud to be hosting the official launch of the Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative Pilot in St Louis.

Similar events are being held in St Paul, MN and Baton Rouge, LA. The purpose of this project is to identify what plastic is getting into the Mississippi River, how much there is and to figure out how best to reduce or eliminate it. It is part of a global project sponsored by the United Nations and the National Geographic Society to reduce ocean plastic pollution.

You can help out by joining in one of the many clean up activities taking place across the region and by helping to collect the data needed by the scientists studying the problem. You can collect data yourself, in your neighborhood at your convenience by downloading the Marine Data Tracker App to your phone and using the MRCTI list to record your discoveries.

The official St Louis launch of the project takes place on April 17, 2021 from 9:00 am until noon. Look for a kickoff promptly at 9:00 with a welcome from local officials and representatives from the project. Staff from the Marine Debris Tracker development team will be on hand to assist you with learning about the application and teams from the League of Watershed Guardians, Greenway Network and the Mississippi River Water Trails Association will be picking up trash in the park and along the Riverfront trail. Bags and gloves will be provided by Missouri Stream Team.

This effort is being led by the mayors of the Mississippi Rivers Cities and Towns Initiative and Rotary International.

You may decide to clean up litter during this data collection exercise. If you feel it is safe, pick up and recycle or dispose of the items properly. Please be mindful of potential risks associated with this activity, which may include, but are not limited to: hazardous and heavy materials, flood-related hazards, wild or stray animals, insects or poisonous plants, and risks associated with COVID-19. Training is provided to citizen groups so that data collection is clear and easy, as well as protocols to ensure that data collection is safe, including use of face masks and social distancing. (For more information, refer to the Citizen Science Field Guide.)