Marine Debris Programs

1. Marine Debris Programs Katherine Bruce (USEPA/OCPD) September 7, 2005

2. History • Early 70’s ships were identified as a major source of debris • National Academy of Sciences estimated that ships dumped 14 billion pounds of garbage into the ocean • EPA believed that ocean based sources were not the only problem

3. Statutes • CWA • London Convention • Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act • MARPOL • Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act • Shore Protection Act • BEACH Act

4. Clean Water Act (CWA) • Requires EPA to establish regulations that treat storm water as point source discharges that must be regulated • Two Phases under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Storm Water Program • Phase I: Requires NPDES permit coverage for storm water discharges from storm water associated with industrial activity and from municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) • Phase II: Requires NPDES permit coverage for storm water discharges from construction sites between 1 and 5 acres and from MS4s areas

5. Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter • London Convention (1972) • Intentional at-sea dumping of garbage generated on land became subject to international control • Helps to control marine pollution from dredging, sewage sludge, and other land based wastes

6. Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) • Enacted by Congress in 1977 • Designed to prohibit the transport for the purpose of dumping into the ocean of any persistent inert synthetic or natural materials which may float or remain in suspension in the ocean • EPA is responsible for issuing permits for dumping of wastes at sea

7. 1978 Protocol to the 1973 International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution by Ships • MARPOL Convention (1978) • Addressed international at-sea disposal of garbage generated during the routine operation of ships • Annex V established regulations on discharging ship-generated garbage, including a prohibition on discharging any plastics at sea • Special Area Designations • All overboard discharges of garbage are prohibited

8. Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act (MPPRCA) • Enacted by Congress in 1987 • Domestic legislation that implements the international treaty (MARPOL) • Designed to prohibit ships from disposing of plastics within the U.S. EEZ • Required EPA to support the need for public education and involvement in solving the marine debris problem • Directed EPA to conduct a program to encourage the formation of volunteer groups to assist in the monitoring, reporting, cleanup, and prevention of ocean and shoreline pollution

9. Shore Protection Act (SPA) • Enacted by Congress in 1988 • Designed to minimize trash, medical debris and other harmful materials from being deposited into coastal waters as a result of inadequate waste handling procedures by vessels transporting waste • Required EPA and DOT to implement SPA • EPA is responsible for developing regulations addressing waste handling practices of waste transfer vessels

10. Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH) • Enacted by Congress on October 10, 2000 • Designed to reduce the risk of disease to users of the Nation’s coastal recreation waters • BEACH Act Authorizes EPA: • To award program development and implementation grants to support microbiological testing and monitoring of coastal recreational waters, that are adjacent to beaches • Grants also provide support for developing and implementing programs to notify the public of the potential exposure to disease-causing microorganisms • To provide technical assistance to states and local governments for the assessment and monitoring of floatable debris

11. Programs/Studies • EPA Harbor Studies Program • Plastic Pellet Containment • International Coastal Cleanup • Combined Sewer Overflows Studies Program • Storm Drain Sentries Program • Clean Marina Program • National Marine Debris Monitoring Program • Education and Outreach

12. EPA Harbor Studies Program • Sampling during 1988-1990 • Develop sampling data for debris in the water • Survey data card developed by CMC/TOC was used for first two surveys • New categories were added to accommodate the need for more detailed data (particularly smaller debris items such as pellets)

13. Plastic Pellet Containment • EPA Report: Plastic Pellets in the Aquatic Environment: Sources and Recommendations • EPA worked with the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) to characterize process operations in the plastics industry and to identify potential sources of pellet losses to the environment • Some EPA Recommendations: • Adopt the SPI 1991 Pellet Retention Environmental Code and the 1992 Processor’s Pledge • Educated employees and train them to minimize pellet spillage and loss • Install pellet containment systems or use portable containment apparatuses • Recycle spilled pellets • Inspect shipping containers

14. International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) • Established in mid-80s (First Cleanup in Texas) • Primary vehicle supporting requirements of MPPRCA • EPA has supported the ICC for all 20 years • Initially EPA supported the ICC through NOAA • Upon NOAA reorganization of their Marine Debris Program, EPA became the primary federal support • Success of the ICC is result of volunteers and sponsorships

15. Combined Sewer Overflows Studies Program • Established in 1989 • Designed to supplement existing information on CSOs and storm water discharges (SWDs) as sources of floatable debris to the aquatic environment • Three Goals: • Characterize CSOs and SWDs as land-based sources of plastic debris in the aquatic environment • Determine the types and relative amounts of floating debris contributed by these two sources • Characterize the types and composition of debris in Philadelphia and Boston sewage treatment plants and publicly owned treatment works to determine the potential waste releases from these facilities during system failures

16. Storm Drain Sentries Program • Developed to raise awareness and prevent floatable debris from being washed down storm drains • Involves more than 90 Organizations and 34 States • 330,000 Storm Drains • Public Messages • “Don’t Dump! Protect Your Water.”

17. Clean Marina Program • EPA Document: National Management Measures Guidance to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Marinas and Recreational Boating • Promotes clean marinas through management measures and practices to achieve clean water • Voluntary Program aimed at increasing awareness of clean water at and within marinas

18. National Marine Debris Monitoring Program (NMDMP) • EPA along with other federal agencies helped to design NMDMP • EPA is supporting TOC in the implementation of the study • Designed to gather scientifically valid marine debris data following a statistical protocol • NMDMP • Establishment for 180 monitoring sites • Run for 5 years

19. Education and Outreach • Development of marine debris school curriculum in English and Spanish (1992-1994) • CDs sent out to local schools • Earth Day Activities • Popeye PSA • Recycling Efforts

20. Next Steps • Data collected from ICC and NMDMP will help to determine future EPA efforts • What are the major sources? • Where should we target our education efforts? • What regulatory authorities can we use? • Education and Outreach • Interagency Task Force