Last Update: 7/12/19
ACT Signs On To Petition To Curb Single Use Plastics
As part of Assateague Coastal Trust’s (ACT) Trash Free Assateague program, ACT and the Assateague COASTKEEPER recently signed on to the Petition To Revise The Clean Water Act Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards For The Petroleum Refining (Cracking and Petrochemicals) and Organic Chemicals, Plastics, and Synthetic Fibers Industrial Categories.
The Petition (federal agencies must give interested persons the right to petition for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of a rule,) brought forth by the Center for Biological Diversity, was necessitated by a 10 year plan proposed by the petrochemical industry to increase plastic production by at least 35 percent. The plan includes 300 + projects in the U.S., with facilities that would use fracked natural gas to produce more single use plastic products.
Thankfully we do not have plastic production facilities in our Coastal Bays watershed, however because ACT is committed to reducing the pollution footprint of plastics in our natural environment we felt it was necessary to not only sign on to this citizen Petition but to also support our WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE partners and their communities that are directly impacted by plastic production facilities in their watersheds!
Visual pollution aside, the known ill effects of plastics in the free environment and accumulation of plastic in natural habitats, wildlife entanglement and ingestion, and the potential for plastics to transfer chemicals to wildlife and humans is a significant environmental problem that continues to escalate. It will only be exacerbated if the petrochemical industry’s plans move forward. Further, the facilities producing these plastic products release benzene, a known human carcinogen, and dioxins, the toxic contaminant in Agent Orange. Other wastewater discharges include phthalates, a known cause of developmental and reproductive toxicity in humans, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which cause cancer, damage organs and suppress immune systems.
The current Petition urges the EPA to take the four following actions:
1. prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets and other plastic particles in stormwater and wastewater;
2. update Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for new facilities to eliminate the discharge of toxic priority pollutants from wastewater and stormwater streams;
3. for existing facilities, put into effect Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for pollutants of concern not currently regulated by EPA; and
4. update current Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for existing facilities to reflect the dangers these pollutants pose, as well as advances in detection methods and treatment technologies since the last revisions decades ago.
View the full petition HERE.
The Petition (federal agencies must give interested persons the right to petition for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of a rule,) brought forth by the Center for Biological Diversity, was necessitated by a 10 year plan proposed by the petrochemical industry to increase plastic production by at least 35 percent. The plan includes 300 + projects in the U.S., with facilities that would use fracked natural gas to produce more single use plastic products.
Thankfully we do not have plastic production facilities in our Coastal Bays watershed, however because ACT is committed to reducing the pollution footprint of plastics in our natural environment we felt it was necessary to not only sign on to this citizen Petition but to also support our WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE partners and their communities that are directly impacted by plastic production facilities in their watersheds!
Visual pollution aside, the known ill effects of plastics in the free environment and accumulation of plastic in natural habitats, wildlife entanglement and ingestion, and the potential for plastics to transfer chemicals to wildlife and humans is a significant environmental problem that continues to escalate. It will only be exacerbated if the petrochemical industry’s plans move forward. Further, the facilities producing these plastic products release benzene, a known human carcinogen, and dioxins, the toxic contaminant in Agent Orange. Other wastewater discharges include phthalates, a known cause of developmental and reproductive toxicity in humans, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which cause cancer, damage organs and suppress immune systems.
The current Petition urges the EPA to take the four following actions:
1. prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets and other plastic particles in stormwater and wastewater;
2. update Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for new facilities to eliminate the discharge of toxic priority pollutants from wastewater and stormwater streams;
3. for existing facilities, put into effect Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for pollutants of concern not currently regulated by EPA; and
4. update current Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for existing facilities to reflect the dangers these pollutants pose, as well as advances in detection methods and treatment technologies since the last revisions decades ago.
View the full petition HERE.
Assateague's North Point: Seclusion, Erosion, Microplastics, And A New Component Of Trash Free Assateague
I recently heard Adam Cornick, a photographer in Nova Scotia and owner of Acorn Art and Photography, state something along the lines of if you don’t like winter, you’re not doing it right. I made a brisk paddle across the Sinepuxent to Assateague’s northern most point just before dusk yesterday, January 9. This isolated part of Assateague Island National Seashore resides as one of my favorite spaces on Delmarva, but one that is seemingly always under attack by negligent actions. The erosion to the tip of the north point of Assateague continues to eat away at the dune system. Last night I came across a new line of trees that had succumb to the eroding dune field. The vegetation that exists on the west side of Assateague’s north point is critical to keep the sand in place and preserve the islands existing position. It is no mystery that Assateague and many other barrier islands like it are migrating landward as climate change evokes rising water levels. Visiting this part of the island on a frequent basis, I can attest to the continual increased erosion that is resulting from, yes, sea level rise (to an extent), but the effects of changing climate on the island have been exacerbated by, I believe, beach manipulation efforts by the USACE. Once a treasured surf spot for locals, undoubtedly it is the beach manipulation efforts that have largely spoiled what was once a "secret spot" for the local surf community. An “Assateague Island North End Restoration Project Timeline” dating various beach material manipulation efforts is worth a read. A simple glance at google earth using the historical imagery tool reveals that significant erosion began taking place at the tip of north point during the fall of 2008. Despite the extensive erosion taking place, officials have largely remained quiet on the issue, but it is certainly something those with authority need to look into. I cannot say with certainty all the variables that have led to the erosion, but I am open to those that may have valuable information on the matter. Without a doubt, if something isn’t done to curb the erosion on Assateague’s north point, more sand, vegetation, habitat, and an isolated hide out that many in this area appreciate as a way to escape the conundrum of busier parts of the coastal community will continue to wash away as this part of Assateague retreats southward.
Further, during yesterday evenings brief visit to the "Place Across," 16 pounds of plastic and litter were removed. Yesterday evening’s collection included over a dozen plastic bags that had collected at the high tide line during the last tide cycle, and plenty of relic trash that winds over the past week had exposed. I could paddle to the north point each day and continue to find trash that has washed ashore. A sign on the jetty with a phrase "the bullshit stops here, but the trash doesn't" would perhaps raise awareness to the fact that adjacent towns have made this part of the National Seashore their filter, whether knowingly or not. I’ll refer to them as washouts, where there are a few points in the dune system (one on the west side of the north point, and two on the north tip) where winds and high water have washed out sections of dune. What is revealed in these washouts are an unfathomable amount of micro plastics that have presumably remained on the island for years, as new plastic, foam, and other litter arrives daily. I believe that the plastics and litter residing in these washouts likely washed onto the north point from Ocean City and West Ocean City, where it gradually was buried as sands shifted. These washouts give only a glimpse of some of the micro plastics and litter that is likely hidden beneath much of the dune system on the north point. With a new year, Assateague Coastal Trust is in the beginning stages of working on a new component for our Trash Free Assateague program, and one which will reveal not just the micro plastics that have accumulated in our coastal environment, but one which we anticipate being powerful enough to alleviate some of the burden that is being placed on our beaches and waterways. Stay tuned…
Further, during yesterday evenings brief visit to the "Place Across," 16 pounds of plastic and litter were removed. Yesterday evening’s collection included over a dozen plastic bags that had collected at the high tide line during the last tide cycle, and plenty of relic trash that winds over the past week had exposed. I could paddle to the north point each day and continue to find trash that has washed ashore. A sign on the jetty with a phrase "the bullshit stops here, but the trash doesn't" would perhaps raise awareness to the fact that adjacent towns have made this part of the National Seashore their filter, whether knowingly or not. I’ll refer to them as washouts, where there are a few points in the dune system (one on the west side of the north point, and two on the north tip) where winds and high water have washed out sections of dune. What is revealed in these washouts are an unfathomable amount of micro plastics that have presumably remained on the island for years, as new plastic, foam, and other litter arrives daily. I believe that the plastics and litter residing in these washouts likely washed onto the north point from Ocean City and West Ocean City, where it gradually was buried as sands shifted. These washouts give only a glimpse of some of the micro plastics and litter that is likely hidden beneath much of the dune system on the north point. With a new year, Assateague Coastal Trust is in the beginning stages of working on a new component for our Trash Free Assateague program, and one which will reveal not just the micro plastics that have accumulated in our coastal environment, but one which we anticipate being powerful enough to alleviate some of the burden that is being placed on our beaches and waterways. Stay tuned…
Thousands of Pieces of Foam & Debris Blow On To Beach And Into Ocean
Quick Action And Reporting By Assateague Coastal Trust At 46th Street Condominium
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On December 22nd, ACT staff witnessed immense amounts of styrofoam blowing from a condominium rooftop and out over the beach and into the ocean. The press release written by ACT and submitted to local media sources concerning the situation is available in the document below.
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| act_calls_out_polluters_press_release.pdf |
View the story that appear in the December 28, 2018 edition of The Dispatch HERE
Video's below capture the situation. Enlarge to view.
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TFA Presents at Salisbury University's MAC Center
Below is a pdf document of talking points for the Trash Free Assateague presentation at Salisbury University on October 23, 2018.
| tfa_presentation.pdf |
2018 International Coastal Cleanup Data Is Available Here
Trash Free Assateague Project Takes Unique Stand Against Littering And Plastics.
Advocating For A Back To Basics Lifestyle For More Sustainable Communities.
The document included below is a press release ACT will be submitting to local media outlets this week. The ACT staff routinely writes these articles and sends them to news sources near and far, with the hope that they will be published, and, ultimately, that our message will be heard by the public. This particular article was written by ACT's communications director, Billy Weiland. Written in the third person, Weiland has submitted this press release to all the news sources for which ACT has contact information. Have a read, and spread the message.
| tfa_press_release_7_16_18_for_website.pdf |
The Trash Free Assateague Crew Pulls 74 lbs. Of Trash From The Wedge
Nearly 3 months since our last beach clean up at the birth place of Trash Free Assateague, ACT and a few volunteers made the trip across Sinepuxent Bay to sweep some of the litter and trash that accumulated since the Earth Day weekend sweep in April. The North Point seemed to be a bit more trash free than it was during our visit last July. During that July 2017 trip, TFA founder Billy Weiland was still an intern with ACT, and numerous picnic dump sites resided within the dune system, the majority of which were determined to be from some of the 4th of July weekend beach visitors the week prior. A good sign? Perhaps our project is beginning to raise the awareness it was intended to, and perhaps the Trash Free Assateague cleanups are starting to truly put a dent in the littering and trash problem that the North Point has succumb to over the years. In any case, with our Trash Free Assateague project we will continue to encourage everyone to acknowledge their own lifestyle and work toward living more sustainably by reducing consumption habits, including their plastic footprint.
Photo left below depicts one of the picnic dump sites found last July, 2017. No dump sites were found during our July 2018 TFA sweep!!! Photo right below is testament to the fact that this part of Assateague Island is still dealing with much of it's litter washing in from Ocean City and West Ocean City.
Trash Free Assateague Removes 29 lbs. Of Trash From Adopted Streets In Ocean City
As part of our commitment to Ocean City Surf Clubs Adopt Your Beach program, on Monday, July 9th ACT and TFA volunteers came out to the resort town to clean 29 lbs of litter from 19th-20th streets, and 94-97th streets.
ACT Adopts 6 Streets In Ocean City
This past Spring, ACT adopted 6 streets in Ocean City for the Adopt Your Beach program. As an extension of our Trash Free Assateague project, ACT will carry out beach clean ups at our adopted streets throughout the year. More information about the Adopt Your Block program is available here.
Adopted Streets
19th-20th
94th-97th
19th-20th
94th-97th
ACT's TFA Project Removes Nearly 40 lbs Of Litter From Assateague Island's North Beach Lot Area
ACT recently hosted another successful sweep on Assateague Island's National Park. On June 2nd, TFA's Post Memorial Day Sweep removed just under 40 pounds of trash from the heavier traffic areas of the Island. A dozen TFA Team volunteers, including members of the Student Conservation Association, came out to help us sweep the North Beach campgrounds, the South Beach shell lot, and the Bayside Drive picnic area on the west side of the Island. View photos of this sweep and other past sweeps here.
TFA Earth Day Weekend Clean Up Pull's 194.5 lbs. Of Trash From The Wedge
Local photographer and owner of
Assateague Farm and Nursery,
Lindsey Buckman, documents ACT's
first sweep of the TFA project.
See video above
Assateague Farm and Nursery,
Lindsey Buckman, documents ACT's
first sweep of the TFA project.
See video above
Trash Free Assateague is gradually growing a support group throughout Delmarva, and it's putting words into action. On April 21st, ACT kicked off the first official event of the Trash Free Assateague project with a beach sweep on Assateague Island's extreme North Point. With a total of 11 TFA Team members, ACT and the National Park Service swept the Dunes, Ocean side, and Bay side of the North Tip of the Island to remove almost 200 pounds of litter from the beach and rock jetty that resides on the south side of the Ocean City inlet. This part of the Island is the birthplace of Trash Free Assateague, and the project's founder, Billy Weiland, utilized the clean up to talk with those in attendance about TFA, the geography of trash on the Island, and the environmental issues associated with single use plastics.
With the TFA Team aboard the Trust’s COASTKEEPER vessel, the Trash Free Assateague Team made their way across Sinepuxent Bay to the North Point of Assateague Island. Referred to as the Wedge, this area of Assateague Island is located on the south side of the Ocean City inlet and has seen an increase in trash that has washed ashore and litter that has accumulated in the dune system.
With the TFA Team aboard the Trust’s COASTKEEPER vessel, the Trash Free Assateague Team made their way across Sinepuxent Bay to the North Point of Assateague Island. Referred to as the Wedge, this area of Assateague Island is located on the south side of the Ocean City inlet and has seen an increase in trash that has washed ashore and litter that has accumulated in the dune system.
Trash Free Assateague (TFA) is gaining ground and we have seen an amazing amount of support for the project and its goals. With TFA, we are raising awareness to the waste problem that our Planet is facing. ACT is utilizing this TFA project as a way to educate society about the unsustainable use of resources and a dependence on one-time use plastics, and the ill effects this behavior is having on our Land, in our Oceans, and among the human population. We are here to advocate for sustainable living practices, and we encourage all to lessen their dependence on one-time use plastics. So, how to ween a consumer society off unsustainable resources and practices? From something as simple as addressing litter problems, to motivating a larger audience to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, TFA has the ability to become a major platform that, we believe, will rekindle the environmental ethic of the past.
ACT has been working closely with the NPS at Assateague Island National Seashore as we build TFA, and we foresee a working partnership that will benefit our local Coastal ecosystem through education, trash sweeps, outreach, and eco tours.
ACT has been working closely with the NPS at Assateague Island National Seashore as we build TFA, and we foresee a working partnership that will benefit our local Coastal ecosystem through education, trash sweeps, outreach, and eco tours.
Trash Free Assateague (TFA) was developed by ACT's communications director, Billy Weiland. TFA's birthplace resides on the North Point of Assateague Island. This particular section of Assateague has seen an influx of beach visitors over the years. Because it is a more isolated part of the Island, it’s much more difficult for the National Park Service to constantly patrol the area, and, unfortunately we have a small percentage of individuals that are camping out on the beach for the day and dumping all of their trash in the back dunes.
To address the amount of trash that has accumulated at the Wedge, we created the Trash Free Assateague project in February. Trash Free Assateague was developed to not only clean up the Wedge, but to draw attention to the root of the problem. We’re not solely focusing on cleaning up this small part of the Island, but anticipate growing this project and utilizing it to bring awareness to the littering problem and trash issues that not just this area faces, but the entire planet. Our society’s lifestyle practices today are not sustainable. We need to encourage every single individual to work toward more sustainable lifestyle practices. Population has and is likely going to continue to increase, and as it does our resources will continue to dwindle, and the amount of waste generated will follow suit. It can be scary, it can be overwhelming, but we should see this as motivation to reduce our ecological footprint and get back and give back to Nature.
Plastics and their reputation for polluting the environment and threat to marine life isn’t new. Over half of all plastic used are discarded after a one time use. Because plastics take so long to break down, upwards of 1,000 years, once they end up in the environment, that’s where they will stay for lifetimes. These are the kinds of plastics we’re finding on our beaches.
To address the amount of trash that has accumulated at the Wedge, we created the Trash Free Assateague project in February. Trash Free Assateague was developed to not only clean up the Wedge, but to draw attention to the root of the problem. We’re not solely focusing on cleaning up this small part of the Island, but anticipate growing this project and utilizing it to bring awareness to the littering problem and trash issues that not just this area faces, but the entire planet. Our society’s lifestyle practices today are not sustainable. We need to encourage every single individual to work toward more sustainable lifestyle practices. Population has and is likely going to continue to increase, and as it does our resources will continue to dwindle, and the amount of waste generated will follow suit. It can be scary, it can be overwhelming, but we should see this as motivation to reduce our ecological footprint and get back and give back to Nature.
Plastics and their reputation for polluting the environment and threat to marine life isn’t new. Over half of all plastic used are discarded after a one time use. Because plastics take so long to break down, upwards of 1,000 years, once they end up in the environment, that’s where they will stay for lifetimes. These are the kinds of plastics we’re finding on our beaches.
Media coverage of the TFA project is available in our ACT In The News page.
Please see the Trash Free Assateague itinerary and logistics document below...
| trash_free_assateague_itenerary.docx |
Below is the National Park Service's logistics document for this sweep. Please review if you are volunteering.
| act_description_of_work_4-4-18.docx |
ACT's Billy Weiland recently posted a story to the The Marsh, documenting the trash and litter problem that has overwhelmed the Eastern Shore. There is no denying it, the trash that has found its way into our environment is a visible problem, and it needs to be addressed. The amount of loose debris collecting along some of the roadways in the region is absolutely unacceptable. Our waterways and beaches have also succumb to loose trash and the littering habits of some individuals.
We are initiating a campaign to address the loose trash in this area, and we aim to see that there is a stronger littering enforcement.
The North Point of Assateague Island National Seashore (referred to as The Wedge) will reside as a focal point for ACT as we start this campaign. This part of the Island has seen an increase in the number of beach visitors over the years, and subsequently it has fallen victim to littering and illegal dumping. Further, loose debris has found its way onto Assateague as wind, tides, and wave action push trash from Ocean City and West Ocean City on to the beach.
Due to the remote nature of this part of the Island, access to the beach for cleanup days will be by kayak or boat. This is a relatively small portion of the Island, but the amount of work to clean up the excess trash here will require several volunteers per sweep.
Since introducing this campaign, many have stepped up and asked to volunteer. Due to the more remote nature of the North Point and the relatively smaller area of beach we will be focusing on, we are looking for 4 volunteers per sweep. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Billy Weiland via email.
As part of this campaign we foresee establishing signs on this part of the island that deter visitors from littering and dumping trash. Currently there are "No Pets" signs, but littering signs are absent. Given the NPS approves the establishment of signs for the Trash Free Assateague campaign, our Coast Kids director Verena Chase, plans to incorporate an anti littering class for children. This will give our Coast Kids program the opportunity to be part of this anti littering movement as they create signs to be placed on the North Point of Assateague persuading visitors to pack it in and pack it out.
This is a campaign which everyone in the community can support. It is simple, yet effective. It is small, yet has a powerful message. Not littering is one of the first environmental responsibilities we should be taught as children, and ACT is here to advocate. Nobody likes a litter bug.
We appreciate all those that have supported our efforts over the years, and we look forward to focusing our attention back on the Island that has given so much.
