How LittaTraps are keeping litter in Thunder Bay, Ont. out of Lake Superior

An environmental initiative in Thunder Bay is helping keep garbage out of local waterways, with nearly 1,500 pieces of litter diverted from storm drains in the past year.

EcoSuperior installed 16 LittaTraps in storm drains across the city in the spring of 2024. The mesh filters, designed by Enviropod, capture debris before it can enter Lake Superior. Data from the traps provides insight into pollution patterns and informs waste management decisions.

According to EcoSuperior's latest findings, cigarette butts accounted for 60 per cent of the debris collected—916 in total. The traps also captured 118 plastic fragments, 108 pieces of plastic film, 99 food wrappers and 117 other pieces of waste, including glass and metal.

Kennedy Bucci, EcoSuperior's Rethinking Waste Coordinator, said the program has successfully highlighted pollution hotspots, particularly in public parks and high-traffic areas.

"Based on the first summer's worth of data, we know that cigarette butts are a major issue. We also know that our public parks, where people congregate, are a hotspot for pollution. So we've already installed more cigarette ashtray receptacles at our highest hotspot location" Bucci said. "Hopefully we can start these initiatives that prevent litter from getting on the ground and ending up in our local environment."

The litter collected through the LittaTraps program is also logged into the International Trash Trap Network, led by Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto (U of T) Trash Team.

Mark Fisher, president and CEO of the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR), said such initiatives are crucial for keeping the Great Lakes clean.

"In the Great Lakes alone, it is estimated that 20 million pounds of plastics, mostly public litter, could be entering the lakes each year through a variety of sources and pathways, including local stormwater catch basins," Fisher said when the initiative was first launched in Thunder Bay.

Here's what EcoSuperior had to say when it first launched LittaTraps:

Superior Morning5:07Kennedy Bucci: EcoSuperior Litta Traps

City officials are also backing the initiative after seeing the results. Aaron Ward, manager of engineering for Thunder Bay, said the program is a step in the right direction.

"Any garbage or debris that we can keep out of our storm sewer system, which eventually enters Lake Superior, is a positive for our environment," Ward said. "We look forward to continue working with EcoSuperior to keep this successful program running."

EcoSuperior hopes to expand the LittaTraps program in the future, potentially adding more filters in public spaces and studying microplastics in storm drains.

Community members can support the initiative by advocating for waste reduction programs and contacting city councillors to voice their support for continued environmental efforts, Bucci said.