Litter Floatables Aquatic Trash Problem Nagging Questions. How did we get here? What do we do about it?

Transcription

1 Litter Floatables Aquatic Trash Problem Nagging Questions How did we get here? What do we do about it?

2 Philadelphia Street Cleaning: 1914 (1.5 million people 3 rd Largest City in US) Annual contracts 8 Districts Supervision by District Engineers and Inspectors Trash Removal at least once per week: Ashes Waste Rubbish Major Changes Staffing Approach Changing Nature of Wastes Automation & Work Practices Budget Cuts Recycling Organizational Changes Street Cleaning all streets 6 feet 6 inches width Machine brooms Squeegee machines High pressure flushing Cleaning of all alleys 1 6 times/ week Blockmen (57 140/district) Inlet Gangs

3 The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman, is released by Embassy Pictures in A memorable poolside scene from the movie: Mr. McGuire: Ben: Come with me for a minute. I want to talk to you. I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Yes, sir. Mr. McGuire: Are you listening? Ben: 1967 Start of Plastic Litter Age Yes sir, I am. Mr. McGuire: PLASTICS. Ben: Exactly how do you mean? Mr. McGuire: There is a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it? Ben: Yes I will.

4 Million Tons per year Source: EPA 10 fold increase 43 years Mr. McGuire knew something 1967

5 200% 150% Roadway Litter Changes Since 1969 * Figure ES-5 Change in Visible Litter on Rural Interstates and Primary Roads Since % increase In plastic litter 40 years 100% 50% Metal -88.2% Glass -86.4% Paper -78.9% Beverage Containers -88.2% Increase 0% Misc 13.1% Plastic 165.4% Decrease -50% -100% * Keep America Beautiful 2009 Report Plastic bags, bottles, packaging introduced in early 1970s Automobile cup holders introduced in 1990s

6 Philadelphia s 2008 Budget Crisis Residential street cleaning eliminated. Situation Plastic increasing fraction of street litter Reduced street cleaning budget 6

7 1 Survey of Schuylkill River Trash

8 TTF Creek - Plastic Bags

9 Little Tinicum Island May, 2003

10 West Deptford, NJ February, 2013

11 2/4/13 South Jersey Times Article extract According to state Department of Environmental Protection spokesmen the problem of river-borne litter along South Jersey shores is decades-long. However, apart from aesthetics, they stated that it doesn t pose much of an environmental concern. There s really nothing the state would do about a litter problem. Still, the DEP spokesmen added that miles of trash lining the Delaware River isn t something they like to see. We must be much more concerned about plastic in our waterways? EPA s next cycle of stormwater permits will change this attititude

12 N Atlantic Sub Tropical Gyre Floating Plastic Accumulation SEA: Pieces_KM2 Pieces per Square Km 1,000-5,000 5,001-10,000 10,001-50,000 50, , , ,214 6,136 Trawl Surveys 2,324 - No plastic P/km 2 2,251-1,000 9,999 P/km ,000 99,999 P/km > 100,000 P/km 2 1 km 2 = acres 10,000 P/km 2 = 40.5 P/ac 100,000 P/km 2 = 405 P/ac 577,214 P/km 2 = 2,336 P/ac

13 Growing Awareness that Plastic Trash Poses Serious Environmental Risks

14 Aquatic Trash & Clean Water Act Federal Water Pollution Control Act of st law to address water pollution. major U.S. Growing concern for water pollution led to 1972 amendments Commonly known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). Clean Water Act Trash Litter Focus Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Requirements Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) Trash Free Waters Program

15 EPA s 1995 Nine Minimum Controls for CSOs provides excellent guidance for tackling Delaware Basins CSO and MS4 stormwater trash challenge: NMC 6 - Control of Solid and Floatable Materials in CSOs NMC 7 - Pollution Prevention Programs to Reduce Contaminants in CSOs

16 Philadelphia (like other cities)has Been Working to Meet Floatables Control Requirements for 20 Years 2 Floatable Tools

17 Stormwater Inlets: Untrapped and Trapped Untrapped Catch Basin Street paving Curb Catch basin wall. Low water line, set by invert of discharge pipe Floatables go to creek with stormwater Sediment, heavy material builds up in sump. Needs to be removed regularly. 17

18 Stormwater Inlets: Untrapped and Trapped Untrapped Catch Basin Trapped Catch Basin Street paving Curb Street paving Curb Catch basin wall. Catch basin wall. Trapped Inlets Help, Bags, other plastics escape trap Low water line, set by invert of discharge pipe Low water line, set by invert of discharge pipe Floatables go to creek with stormwater Floatables Trapped in basin Sediment, heavy material builds up in sump. Needs to be removed regularly. Floatable trap reduces amount of floatables reaching discharge pipe. 18

19 Plastic Trash Below Philadelphia s T-03 CSO Tacony Creek Park

20 Solving Philadelphia s Fugitive Trash Problem a. Littered Streets Pedestrian & Vehicular Litter b. Dumping c. Trash Filled Creeks 6/17/

21 Portion of Current Trash Load Properly Handled Solving Philadelphia s Fugitive Trash Problem Fugitive Trash = Littered Streets & Parks Trash Filled Creeks Illegal Dump sites Pedestrian & Vehicular Litter Residential Dumping Construction & Com l Debris Dumping Product controls Fees Bans Recycle More Receptacles Better Inlet Screens Outfall Nets Street Cleaning Enforcement Landlord Storage Policies More frequent Trash pickups in selected areas City Acceptance Policies? License & Permit Controls Monitoring 6/17/2014 Current Policies, Procedures, Actions Need to quantify magnitude & nature of each source Tailor solutions to specific aspects of problem 21