MDEQ-funded pilot project focuses on litter, debris removal
Floating trash-collecting tools named Litter Gitters have been deployed at several locations in Mississippi coastal waters since December, and the project leader, Eric Sparks of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium and Mississippi State University, says they are working.
"All of the traps are collecting litter and will collect even more as spring brings more rain," Sparks said.
The four collectors are part of a pilot project to reduce debris and trash that enters the Mississippi Sound from urban waterways. The project is funded by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, and Osprey Initiative, a project collaborator based in Mobile, Alabama, developed and deployed the devices. The Litter Gitters are located at the southern branch of Magnolia Bayou in Hancock County, on Brickyard Bayou and Canal #1 in Harrison County, and on Bayou Chico in Jackson County. A separate project, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, placed two more devices on the coast. (See a map of all of the devices on the coast.)
They have bright orange boom that directs trash and debris into a metal cage that holds it until the device is emptied.
“So far, we have seen more litter collected from the Bayou Chico trap,” Sparks said. “This isn’t surprising because it’s closest to development.”
How the devices perform may determine if they will be used in additional areas.
“It is our objective to learn if these traps can substantially reduce the amount of litter which enters the Mississippi Sound from upland areas and to collect data on what types of litter are in our streams as well as their sources,” said Chris Wells, MDEQ executive director, said in a press release. “We are exploring various ways to improve water quality including conducting this pilot project to remove trash and litter from waterways. We look forward to the results of this project and perhaps the opportunity to expand the use of litter traps coastwide or maybe even statewide.”
The floating trash traps collect litter while allowing wildlife, kayaks and boats to navigate over or under them. People who come across a Litter Gitter should leave it alone, but if they need to cross it, they can slowly float over the orange boom with their kayaks, paddleboards or small boats. They should be sure to not tangle their rudders or propellers in the boom. And, if they see any issues with the traps, they should report them to Sparks at [email protected].
The Strategic Streams Restoration Program under Bucket 1 of the RESTORE Act funded this project. MDEQ awarded $162,150 to Mississippi State University’s Coastal Research and Extension Center for this pilot project. More information about Mississippi’s comprehensive restoration efforts is on the web at restore.ms.
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This project was paid for [in part] with federal funding from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act).The statements, findings, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Treasury or the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.