 Dear Great Lakes community,
Thank you for your continued interest in the state of marine debris throughout the Great Lakes region. Without you, significantly less progress would have happened this summer—and I'd have no one to write to!
In this edition, we're celebrating all the things. From NOAA-funded marine debris projects taking place in Michigan and New York as we speak, to a whole host of upcoming engagement opportunities as we dive into September—a prime month for action, including International Coastal Cleanup Day (September 20) and the Great Lakes Coastal Cleanup on World Rivers Day (September 28).
Feeling crafty? Celebrate back to school time with this creative organizational hack. Keeping the summer spirit alive? Make these upcycled caterpillars and butterflies in honor of the Eastern monarch population's impending migration south to overwinter. Catching a whiff of pumpkin spice in the air already? Then perhaps it's not too soon to brainstorm tricks and treats for a waste-reduced Halloween.
No matter how you choose to tackle marine debris, keep believing in change, keeping talking about the issue with loved ones, and keep supporting this global work.
Onward,
Haley Dalian Great Lakes Regional Coordinator
 Grantee Spotlight: NOAA Marine Debris Program-Funded Interception Project Continues in New York
The RIT team collects trash from a storm drain interception device in Rochester, NY (Credit: Traci Westcott, RIT).
The City of Rochester, NY alone has nearly 30,000 storm drains. The outfall from many of these drains—water and litter alike—makes its way directly to Lake Ontario.
With support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is installing litter catchment devices in storm drains across the City to strain and trap debris before it can travel downstream. Using computer models and community input, RIT is gathering information about litter hotspots to strategically install 50 catchment devices. This work builds on two previously-funded NOAA Marine Debris Program grants to ultimately improve water quality and the livelihoods of communities like Rochester.
Click here to learn more about this project.
 Grantee Spotlight: NOAA Marine Debris Program-Funded Removal Project Continues in Michigan
Illegally dumped large debris accumulates near Ox Creek in Benton Harbor, MI (Credit: Haley Dalian).
Illegal dumping is the unlawful disposal of waste in unauthorized areas such as under bridges, in forests, and off dead-end roadways. For decades, this harmful practice has occurred in the valley of Ox Creek, which flows through the heart of the City of Benton Harbor along Lake Michigan.
With support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the City of Benton Harbor is working with numerous community-based organizations and contractors to remove this debris while ensuring the prevention of future debris. This project complements the efforts of many stakeholders to revitalize Ox Creek.
Click here to learn more about this project.
Scouts Participate in Nationwide Marine Debris Cleanup Initiative and You Can Too
Scouts participate in a beach cleanup (Credit: Scouting America).
This spring, the NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) established our partnership with Scouting America for an ongoing initiative called Scouting for Clean Waterways. Through this initiative, Scouts across the country are removing debris from shorelines and waterways during organized events while collecting data along the way.
Alongside the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the NOAA MDP is pleased to support Scouts of all ages to address the growing issue of marine debris. Together with the help of everyone from Cub Scouts to Eagle Scouts, we will continue to clean up our waterways, shorelines, and communities nationwide.
Click here to learn how your Scouting unit can participate in this initiative.
International Coastal Cleanup sites map (Credit: Ocean Conservancy).
Not a scout? No problem. September 20 is International Coastal Cleanup Day and we need everyone's help to support this effort—from anywhere in the world.
Use Ocean Conservancy's map to find a coordinator planning a cleanup near you. For example, Alliance for the Great Lakes is mobilizing hundreds of its Adopt-a-Beach volunteers on this day in various locations. Want something even closer to home? Go out by yourself or with friends and family to clean up your favorite beach or beloved park. Trash travels, so every piece collected can help protect wildlife and communities that depend on clean waterways.
Click here to learn how you can get involved and #SeaTheChange.
Explore the Great Lakes' National Marine Sanctuaries
View from the New Presque Isle Lighthouse, overlooking Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (Credit: Haley Dalian).
Did you know there are three National Marine Sanctuaries in the Great Lakes?
That's a lot of shoreline, shipwrecks, and open water to explore this fall and into the future. Click on the hyperlinked names above to discover each of these natural wonders and learn more about our shared freshwater heritage.
Reminder: Great Lakes Marine Debris Action Plan Partners Create Region-Wide Messaging Campaign
With the support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and advisory partners of the Great Lakes Marine Debris Action Plan recently completed the brand assets for a region-wide messaging campaign to rally the great folks of the Great Lakes. This campaign encourages everyone in our region to recreate responsibly by reducing waste while refilling and reusing their water bottles.
Click here to download the logos and share the message with your networks!
Explore Upcoming Opportunities
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Job: Post-doctoral Researcher, Lake Ontario Center for Microplastic and Human Health
Rochester Institute of Technology’s Collaborative for Plastic and the Environment is seeking a post-doctoral scientist to participate in the recently funded P01 Lake Ontario Center for Microplastic and Human Health, supported by the National Institutes for Environmental Health Sciences and the National Science Foundation’s Ocean and Human Health Program. Research activities will focus on the input, transport, and fate of plastic debris in the Lake Ontario watershed. The position will begin as soon as a candidate is selected.
Rolling deadline | Click here to learn more.
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Call for Abstracts (Extended): 2025 Great Lakes Beach Association Annual Meeting
The 2025 Great Lakes Beach Association's annual meeting will be held November 3-5 in Michigan City, Indiana. The abstract submission deadline for oral presentations and posters has been extended until September 15. The association welcomes abstract submissions on a variety of topics related to Great Lakes beaches, including trash mitigation and microplastics.
Deadline: Sept. 15, 2025 | Click here to learn more.
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Call for Sessions: 2026 Joint Conference of IAGLR and the Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences
The joint conference of the International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) and the Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences will be held May 25-29, 2026, in Winnipeg, Manitoba as a hybrid event. The conference welcomes session submissions that foster dialogue across scientific, indigenous, and local knowledge systems.
Deadline: Sept. 19, 2025 | Click here to learn more.
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Conference and Field Trip: Healing Our Waters 2025 Great Lakes Conference
The 2025 Great Lakes Conference, hosted by the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, will be in Rochester, NY, September 25-26. The conference will feature topical plenaries and workshops, exciting field trips in and around Rochester, and abundant chances to meet and network with many Great Lakes advocates.
Current NOAA Marine Debris Program grantees from Rochester Institute of Technology are hosting one of the field trips on September 25, titled: "Interception and Prevention of Stormwater Debris in Urban Areas: Technology and Community Engagement." This field trip will highlight their current project funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
Dates: Sept. 25-26, 2025 | Click here to learn more.
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Call for Sessions (Extended): Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference
Hosted by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, the Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference will be a hybrid event at the I-Hotel in Champaign, Illinois from April 28-29, 2026. The deadline to submit session proposals has been extended and will now close on September 30. Potential session chairs should be prepared to attend the conference in-person.
Deadline: Sept. 30, 2025 | Click here to learn more.
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Virtual Event: Great Lakes Microplastics Summit
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is hosting a Great Lakes Microplastics Summit October 22-23, 2025. This free, virtual event will bring together researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders from across the region to network, share insights, and explore the latest findings regarding microplastics in both surface water and drinking water.
Dates: October 22-23, 2025 | Click here to learn more.
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Lake Champlain Webinar on Foam-Based Products
As part of Lake Champlain Sea Grant's research webinar series, the Lake Champlain Basin Marine Debris Community Action Coalition will present some of their recent work: "Understanding use of foam-based products on and near Lake Champlain by individuals and businesses."
Established in fall 2024, the Lake Champlain Basin Marine Debris Coalition is led by Lake Champlain Sea Grant, Rozalia Project, Lake Champlain Committee, Conservation Law Foundation, Vermont Boat and Marine Association, and Lake George Association. This effort is made possible by funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Date: November 19, 2025 | Click here to register.
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Seminars: Third Coast Water Speaker Series
Current, a nonprofit water innovation hub, announces the return of its virtual Third Coast Water Speaker Series for 2025 and 2026. Designed as a platform to address critical water challenges and solutions, the series spotlights leading voices in the water sector. The next seminar is scheduled for September 3.
Sept. 2025 - February, 2026 | Click here to learn more.
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