Trash

What is trash and why does it end up in Minnesota waterways?

In today's world, plastic is manufactured globally due to its affordability and durability. This means that most trash that ends up in our waterways ends up being plastic which is a serious danger to the environment. 

Most garbage that ends up in bodies of water is a result of improper storage or disposal. Littered garbage is brought into waterways by wind and rain through storm drains, streams, canals, or directly into the river. Trash can also find its way to waterways through illegal dumping due to a lack of public dumpsters or trash pickup services. Trash can also be blown out of overfilled dumpsters or garbage trucks. 

Why is it such a big problem to have trash in Minnesota waterways?

Trash that ends up in Minnesota waterways affects water quality, pollutes the environment, and endangers wildlife. Plastic trash is a pressing concern for the environment due to it being a persistent pollutant, meaning that it doesn't break down easily and accumulates in organisms.

Animals can become entangled in trash are vulnerable to suffocation and drowning. They may also mistake trash as food. The trash damages the animals' digestive track, interferes with their ability to feed, and gives them a false sense of fullness so they are susceptible to starvation. 

Plastic waste often breaks down into tiny pieces called microplastics. These tiny pieces of plastic or consumed by smaller organisms and make their way up the food chain into larger organisms like fish. The microplastics also carry along the chemicals they are made of and endanger the helath of the organism. 

What can you do to prevent trash from ending up in waterways?

• Manage trash properly: place trash in garbage bins, don't litter

• Reduce the trash you create

  • Bring your own reusable bags and cups for drinks

  • Use reuseable water bottles

• Find/make opportunities in your community to make a change

  • Participate or organize a clean up event

  • Spread the word and raise awareness on this problem

SOURCES

EPA, Learn About Aquatic Trash. https://www.epa.gov/trash-free-waters/learn-about-aquatic-trash#:~:text=Aquatic%20trust%20 affects%20water%20 quality,on%20for%20tourism%20and%20recreation. 

Kenney, S., 3 Reasons Why Micro-Trash has a Big Impact (Especially for Wildlife!). https://www.visittruckeetahoe.com/blog/micro-trash-leave-no-trace

"Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative Reveals Major Findings." UN Environment, 15 Sept. 2021, http://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/mississippi-river-plastic-pollution-initiative-reveals-major.

HALLE. "How Polluted with Plastic Is the Mississippi River? Residents Can Help Measure It." NOLA.Com, 4 Mar. 2021, https://www.nola.com/news/environment/how-polluted-with-plastic-is-the-mississippi-river-residents-can-help-measure-it/article_3f73fa42-7c60-11eb-ad72-f727a7448f62.html.