Thunder Bay project preventing microplastics from entering waterways gets $45K from Ontario

A project that helps prevent plastic pollution from entering Lake Superior and Thunder Bay's local waterways is receiving $45,000 in Ontario funding.

The project, a new partnership between EcoSuperior and the City of Thunder Bay, includes installing LittaTraps — cutting-edge catch basin filters — in storm drains across the city.

The devices will be placed at city parks, waterfront areas and parking lots. They work to identify and address plastic pollution hotspots by capturing small fragments of plastics (microplastics) before they enter marine ecosystems.

Microplastics can pose harm to aquatic life and the many species of birds and wildlife that depend on them.

"We're very excited about it. We currently have 16 LittaTraps that we'll be installing around the city of Thunder Bay to help us monitor things like plastic or what items are actually flowing into the lake," Ashley Priem, co-executive director of EcoSuperior, said during the funding announcement at the city's waterfront on Thursday.

The LittaTraps project is the first to receive funds this year through the 2023 Ontario Community Environment Fund, which uses environmental penalties paid by polluters to support locally driven activities that protect and restore areas impacted by pollution.

Lake Superior is the world's largest freshwater lake, providing drinking water for Thunder Bay and the wider region. However, more than 70,000 pounds (over 31,000 kilograms) of plastic debris end up in the lake each year, according to a 2022 report by the American Chemical Society.

Priem said the province's support will help them make a tangible, lasting impact in the community.

"These traps not only intercept plastic waste before it reaches our lake, but also serve as a powerful reminder of the need for collective action in safeguarding the health of Lake Superior."

Taking proactive approach to pollution

Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay–Atikokan, said that under these efforts, EcoSuperior will use its strong reputation in environmental stewardship to conduct a social media campaign informing the public about issued caused by plastic pollution entering local waterways and what people can do to prevent it.

EcoSuperior will compile a comprehensive report for the City of Thunder Bay to help inform local solutions to plastic waste. Those solutions may include trash cleanups, better waste management infrastructure, increased garbage collection in key areas and improved signage.

It will also work to extend the impact of the collected data by connecting with the International Trash Trapping Network to contribute to the global fight against plastic pollution.

"Our government looks forward to seeing the results of this exciting project so that we can protect the Great Lakes for present and future generations," said Holland.

Kennedy Bucci, EcoSuperior's rethinking waste co-ordinator, has two hopes for the project.

"I really hope that, first of all, we can divert a lot of the plastic that otherwise would have ended up in Lake Superior and make sure that gets disposed of properly," said Bucci. "But also, I hope that this project brings greater awareness to the community of Thunder Bay that there are so many pollutants that end up in our stormwater runoff and that when they go down the drain, they end up right in the lake."