Each year, 22 million pounds of plastic debris enters the Great Lakes and poses a tremendous threat to the 40 million people that depend on the Great Lakes as a drinking water source and the hundreds of native species that live in and rely on the lakes. Plastic debris eventually breaks down into microplastics that bioaccumulate in fish and wildlife and attract toxic chemicals such as PCBs that bind to plastic surfaces when present in water. The Watershed Center’s deployment of innovative technology that removes trash along the shoreline of Grand Traverse Bay prevents man-made products such as plastics and other synthetic litter from threatening our drinking water and the health of fish and wildlife. The debris collected is analyzed and categorized, and valuable data is gleaned to help inform scientific research, educational materials, and policy development.

The Watershed Center is interested in deploying the BeBot and PixieDrone on coastal beaches and marinas in Grand Traverse Bay, as well as exploring educational opportunities involving this technology. For more information, please contact Christine Crissman at ccrissman@gtbay.org.