Trash traps removed nearly 63,000 pieces of plastic from Toronto Harbour last year, data shows

Nearly 63,000 small pieces of plastic were pulled from Toronto Harbour over six months last year — thanks to trash traps, according to research data released on Monday.

The plastic pieces were part of 43 kilograms of garbage removed from the water from May to October 2023, according to PortsToronto and the University of Toronto Trash Team, a community outreach organization.

In a news release on Monday, PortsToronto said its network of trash traps includes eight Seabins, which are floating garbage cans that suck in trash, and two WasteSharks, which are small remote-controlled vessels that skim the surface of the water to collect floating debris.

Apart from the volume of plastic taken out of the harbour last year, however, both organizations say there are signs that the amount of plastic garbage floating in the water is on the decline this year and the drop may be due to outreach and education efforts. 

Chelsea Rochman, a University of Toronto ecology professor and a co-founder of the University of Toronto Trash Team, said the items pulled from the water by the traps include plastic pellets, plastic bottle caps, pieces of foam from food containers and fatbergs.

"Of course, we should focus on prevention," she said on Monday. "But cleanup literally protects wildlife by removing that amount of plastic out of the water now, which they can eat and become entangled in."

Consider taking reusable cups to coffee shops

Rochman recommended that Toronto residents bring reusable food containers, including cups, when they go to their favourite coffee shops and restaurants and that they don't throw their cigarette butts on the ground.

"There's a lot of trash, unfortunately, plastic pollution in our harbour," she said.

"Next time you're walking along the waterfront, or in a park, have a look down, see what you see, see what debris you notice. The top items we find that aren't fragments of broken down bits are cigarette butts and single-use plastic foodware."

Since 2019, PortsToronto and the University of Toronto Trash Team have worked together on the PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program, which diverts plastic out of Lake Ontario using machines and manual skimming.

Through the program, researchers measure and analyze the debris and plastic pollution collected by trash traps to track trends in floating debris, determine the source of the material and use data to identify solutions. 

In August 2023, PortsToronto launched a pilot program with two WasteShark aquadrones. Rochman said the WasteSharks, nicknamed "Ebb" and "Flow," have been effective. 

"In just three trials of the WasteSharks, we actually got about 20 kilograms of marine debris," she said.

'Signs of a decrease' in microplastics seen in Seabins

This year, PortsToronto and the University of Toronto Trash Team said researchers have begun to see "signs of a decrease" in the amount of microplastics collected in the Seabins. Plastic items in the environment eventually break down into microplastics, which are tiny, often irregularly-shaped, fragments of plastic debris.

Rochman said, however, it may be too early to say if the drop is a trend.

"Seeing less could mean that our communication efforts are helping," she added.

RJ Steenstra, president and CEO of PortsToronto, said on Monday that the drop in microplastics collected by the Seabins this year is a positive sign.

"We're thrilled to see that we've actually seen a drop in the amount of microplastics that we were collecting this year in the Harbourfront," Steenstra said.

"We see that as a very positive indication that awareness and conscientiousness in the community is working. Every little bit has an impact."

Megan Coad, Toronto water programs co-ordinator for Swim Drink Fish, an environmental charity, applauded the results. She said she is glad that the data is being shared openly with the public.

"I think the more people are aware of what we're finding in our water and the types of debris we see, the better equipped we are to tackle the problem at its source," she said.

"The program is wonderful and they seem to be expanding every year. It's great to see."

According to Rochman, the PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program has inspired the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup, run by Pollution Probe and Council of the Great Lakes Region.