Join Puget Soundkeeper for Microplastic Grab Sampling on December 4th, 2021! We need volunteers for 70 sites across the Puget Sound, from Port Angeles to Olympia.
What is Microplastic Grab Sampling?
Every year, Puget Soundkeeper looks for microplastics in the waters of the Puget Sound. We use this data to raise awareness about microplastic issues and to help inform future policy proposals.
We need volunteers to help us collect water samples from all around the Puget Sound on December 4th. We will supply the equipment, protocols, and locations to volunteers. We are asking volunteers to pick up their equipment from our office (130 Nickerson Street) during the week of November 30th. We will also mail the supplies if needed. Volunteers will then take water samples on Saturday, December 4th. We ask that supplies are returned before Friday, December 10th.
To sign up to volunteer for Microplastic Grab Sampling, please fill out the form at the bottom of the page. Make sure to look at the site map and choose your top three sites!
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Why is this important?
In the water, plastic breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces. When the plastic pieces get small enough (< 5 mm), we call these microplastics.
Microplastics are a global hazard to marine environments. Fish and other marine animals will eat microplastics, thinking it’s food. When we eat the fish, we also eat the plastic. Microplastics have been found in water almost everywhere on earth, from the arctic circle to 93% of the bottled water we drink. It can take hundreds of years for plastic to decompose, so it stays in marine environments for centuries.
Email Gillian at Gillian@pugetsoundkeeper.org for more information.
Check out the sites below and watch our video on microplastic grab sampling here! (Dates listed in video are not applicable)
Map of Sites for Microplastic Grab Sampling