Completed Plastic Pollution Related Projects

Reusables Toolkit. In 2022, UPSTREAM launched an OPC-sponsored Reusables Toolkit: Roadmap to Reuse to serve as a resource hub for local governments and businesses reduce single-use plastics and advance the use of reusables in food service operations.

Microplastic Risk Assessment Framework and Scientific Guidance. In 2021, OPC, the California Ocean Science Trust (OST), and group of leading scientists released guidance for addressing microplastic pollution in California’s marine environments, working proactively to manage microplastic waste, and assessing the risk these tiny plastics pose to marine ecosystems, marine animals and humans.

Developing Scientific Trash Monitoring. Starting in 2017, OPC developed a series of projects with the State Water Resources Control Board to develop, validate, and standardize trash monitoring methodologies. These projects also worked to educate interested organizations about scientific trash monitoring methodologies.

Unpackaging Alameda. In 2016, OPC funded a pilot project to “unpackage” Alameda. Through this project, Clean Water Fund worked with 80 to 100 businesses in Alameda to reduce their reliance on single-use disposable food packaging. This project piloted changes in institutional purchasing to reduce the prevalence of single-use foodware that typically becomes plastic pollution. Overall the 80 businesses that participated are estimated to eliminate over 6 million pieces of single-use foodware annually, preventing over 64 thousand pounds of waste each year. Collectively these businesses are estimated to save over $139,000 annually.

Newport Bay Water Wheel. In 2018, OPC approved a $1.68 million Proposition 1 grant to the City of Newport Beach for planning and construction of the Newport Bay Water Wheel Project. This project is modeled closely on the design of the successful Baltimore Trash Wheel project. The Newport Bay Water Wheel could immediately reduce trash load reductions of 50%-80% once installed.

Interactions between microplastics and pathogen pollutants. In 2018, OPC approved a grant to UC Davis for research to investigate microplastics as a potential vector for terrestrial pathogens in the marine environment. This project will investigate the interaction between microplastics and land-based protozoan parasites such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Toxoplasma, and whether these parasites can ‘hitchike’ on microplastics to infect commercial shellfish species.