This document discusses solutions to mitigate trash in waterways in cities. It identifies commonly found trash like plastic bottles, bags and cigarette butts. Volunteer cleanups collect 50-75 lbs of trash weekly. Major sources of trash are non-biodegradable plastics from stores, littering, and storm drains. Solutions focus on education, proper disposal infrastructure like trash cans, trapping trash in drains, and regular cleanups. Other cities have found success reducing plastic waste and enforcing anti-littering laws. A phased approach implements both quick solutions and long-term planning.

1. City Solutions for Mitigating Trash in the Waterways
Miami Beach Cleanup - 1.4 miles
every Sunday (4 hours)
Collects about 50-75 lbs of trash every week !
Commonly found trash in Collins Canal:
• Plastic shopping bags
• Plastic water/soda bottles and lids
• Cigarette butts (not biodegradable)
• Cigarette pack plastic wrappers
• Styrofoam Cups / food containers
• Plastic Straws
• Plastic Food bags (potato
• chips) and wrappers
• Aluminum cans
• Used fishing line
Dave and his Kayak

2. 2012 Coastal Cleanup Day - Quantifying the problem
Source : Ocean Conservancy :
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/international-coastal-cleanup/2012-ocean-trash-index.html
2 million cigarette butts
(not biodegradable)
1 million plastic bottles
1 million plastic bags
600,00 plastic straws

3. Ocean Gyres - aka “Plastic Garbage Patches”
There are 5 major “Garbage Patches” swirling around in the Ocean Gyres. Trash is picked up by the
currents and swirls around in the most remote places on earth. The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” is
the size of Texas. Watch a video to learn more : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7K-nq0xkWY

4. Polystyrene (aka Styrofoam) – Devestating
** Biscayne and SE 7 Street Shoreline - Miami
Polystyrene is a horrendous
product. Little tiny round balls
are compressed into
Cups, Food Containers, and
Coolers. When the bond
deteriorates, the little tiny
pieces float for hundreds of
years and are impossible to
clean up. Marine life thinks
this very toxic material is
food, and it enters our food
chain. These pictures are all
Styrofoam.

6. Sources of this trash?
• Non-bio-degradable plastic bags given by stores by default in
mass quantities (even with one item). No comprehension of
the consequences.
• People throwing trash on the ground / not in a garbage can
• Cigarette smokers throwing plastic wrapper and butts on the
ground
• Inconsistent placement of garbage cans
• Trash cans without lids that prevent wind blowing trash out
• Plastic bags become Urban Tumbleweeds
• Plastic waste goes down the drains and out to the waterways
• Inefficient cleaning schedule of storm water drain traps to
prevent clogging and overrun of traps.

7. Trash from the street is allowed to
go into the drains…
Trash originates at the street level and leads to FLOODING
Thus clogging them
up...
Trash that makes it past ‘catch
basins’ discharge to the
waterway and clog the outlet

8. Storm drain COMPLETELY
clogged. Only a trickle of
water flows out.
As I pull debris out, water starts
flowing out at a significant rate.
**Washington Ct and 22nd Street
Miami Beach, 21August 25th 2013
Contents of storm drain blockage
 Plastic bottles
 Aluminum cans
 Plastic shopping bags
 Plastic cups and containers
 Coconut (which I cannot remove)
Once removed, storm
water flows freely.
Clogged Drains increase STREET FLOODING !

9. • PEOPLE
• Education that litter on the ground becomes litter in our oceans.
All trash in the waters comes from humans !!
• Reduce consumption of non-biodegradable single use plastics
• PROPER DISPOSAL
• Proper placement of trash cans - “can on every corner”
• Trash cans lids that prevent wind blowing trash out
• Make Recycling easy and mandatory – change the culture
• CAPTURE
• Proper gratings that keep objects from flowing into storm drains
• TRAPPING
• Effective filtration system and proper cleaning of storm drains
• CLEANUP
• Clean the canals / waterways as we do the streets (city and
volunteer)
Solutions must focus on 5 key areas

10. Best Practices from other Cities
Reducing litter and pollution through education
Reducing plastic bottles via water fountains and bottle refill stations
Cigarette Butt Litter Reduction

11. • Require water drain filter/grating/screens on all NEW road construction projects
moving forward to keep small materials out (cigarette butts, plastic wrappers).
Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezdqgPX8AWw
• Retrofit EXISTING water drains in high traffic areas based on cost / funding
• Mark street gutters with ‘NO DUMPING – DRAINS TO THE WATERWAY’
• Offer public opportunity to pay for a retrofit of a drain in memorial of someone
Preventing litter from clogging storm drains

12. • Implement a task force to study your situation and make recommendations
• Evaluate storm drain catch basin cleaning schedule – is it often enough?
• Require water drain filter/grating/screens on all NEW road construction projects Example :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezdqgPX8AWw
• Review ‘Green Procurement’ policies for city facilities (city hall and sub-stations)
• Require all takeout food / coffee containers / straws be biodegradable (ban Polystyrene /
Styrofoam / Straws) – Sample Text
http://www.cawrecycles.org/issues/plastic_campaign/polystyrene/local
• Styrofoam Ban on all beaches and all boating supplies
• Trash Can Placement Survey – Start implementing a “Can on Every Corner”
• Partner with Coca Cola for recycling bins and materials (http://www.cokerecycling.com)
• Mandate recycling at all permitted events
• Zero Litter Policy with enforcement (Rio De Janeiro recently implemented
http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/rio-lixo-zero-to-impose-fines-for-littering/
• Clean up your neighborhood volunteer corps and city sponsored monthly cleanup of litter
hot-spots (post on www.volunteercleanup.org)
• Implement / Expand City Sponsored Reusable Bag distribution
• Storm Drain ‘Graffiti’ to relay educational message that the drain leads to waterway
• Lobby your state representative to allow you to ban/regulate Plastic Bags (contact your local
SurfRider chapter for verbiage)
• Coordinate ‘Hazardous / Electronic / Pharmaceutical Waste’ drop-off stations at local stores
• Partner with local movie theater/cinema to air Environmental Documentaries
City Solutions – Phase 1 (quick, easy, low cost)

13. • Create an ongoing / long-term Sustainability Committee
• Create a Sustainability Plan with measurable goals & report card to assess progress.
• Set a goal of ZERO trash discharge within 2 years
• Increase cleaning of storm drain catch basins based on study findings
• Retrofit water drain filter/grating/screens on existing grates in high traffic areas
• Fully implement “Can on Every Corner”
• Legislate that all multi-residences and business must implement a single-stream recycling
program
• “Keep Our City Spectacular” anti-Littering campaign
• Educate tourists via hotel ‘tip sheet’
• Work with local stores to reduce plastic bags by creating a reusable bag ‘Leave One / Take
One’ bin where patrons can borrow a bag and leave their extras
• Education in schools led by other students to prevent the ‘next generation’ of litter
• Install more city water fountains and water bottle refill stations around town
• Create “Earth Friendly Business” environmental certification program
• Establish a private/public ‘co-op’ where businesses can obtain bio-friendly materials
(bags, straws, cups) at reduced costs (co-op buys in Qty 10,000 and sells Qty 100)
City Solutions – Phase 2 (planning and budget required)