{"id":19309,"date":"2020-11-06T10:03:07","date_gmt":"2020-11-06T15:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/?p=19309"},"modified":"2020-11-06T10:08:37","modified_gmt":"2020-11-06T15:08:37","slug":"bcs-first-ocean-plastics-depot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/bcs-first-ocean-plastics-depot\/","title":{"rendered":"BC’s First Ocean Plastics Depot"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Roy L Hales<\/p>\n

A\u00a02014 study<\/a>\u00a0estimates there are more than 5 trillion pieces of plastic floating in the ocean. There is also a great deal of polystyrene. These are two of the most prevalent types of ocean debris washing up on our beaches. The\u00a0Ocean Legacy Foundation<\/a>\u00a0decided to do something about it and partnered with the\u00a0qathet Regional District<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to open up BC\u2019s first Ocean Plastic Depot in\u00a0Powell River<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"Abby<\/a>

Photo of Abby McLennan \u2013 courtesy Let\u2019s Talk Trash<\/p><\/div>\n

The Ghost Fear Fund<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe\u00a0$8.3 million\u00a0Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program, known as the Ghost Gear Fund will fund 22 projects in\u00a0Canada\u00a0and four internationally over the next two years. All projects fall into at least one of four categories: gear retrieval, responsible disposal, acquisition and piloting of available gear technology, and international leadership.\u201d \u2013\u00a0press release from Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"Debris<\/a>

Beach Clean-up \u2013 Courtesy Lets Talk Trash<\/p><\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The First Ocean Plastic Depot<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe Ocean Legacy Foundation was successful in getting some funding. We partnered with them and that is how this Ocean Plastic Depot came into being. It\u2019s really a vision of the Ocean Legacy Foundation. They want to have these satellite depots all up and down the coast, so there is a place to bring the material for recycling, and not just disposal, when [beach] clean-up efforts happen. This is the first depot in BC and, I believe, in Canada. \u2026 A second one has just been installed in\u00a0Tofino<\/a>,\u201d said McLennan.<\/p>\n

She added, \u201cWe had an almost full forty foot shipping container full before our opening day.\u201d<\/p>\n

The depot did not open until the end of October, but beach clean-ups are usually a summer activity. So as people started hearing about the project, they contacted McLennan and she let them use the facility.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were just waiting for some signage and finishing touches \u2026 We are just starting to publicize it now. We have some extra funding from the DFO Ocean Legacy Partnership for another year, so until the fall of 2021,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt covers all disposal costs and all associated recycling fees. Which is significant for us in Powell River because we need to ship everything to the Lower Mainland. We are hoping to ship out forty 40 foot trailer loads of debris this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Styro<\/a>

styro nurdles courtesy Lets Talk Trash<\/p><\/div>\n

Styro nurdles \u2013 courtesy Lets Talk Trash<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

What happens to the\u00a0 Debris?<\/h2>\n

Styrofoam is melted down into ingots and recycled.<\/p>\n

They will only use a portion of marine styrofoam because the quality is lesser, as a result of being exposed to the elements.<\/p>\n

\u201cHard plastic gets pelletized,\u201d says McLennan.<\/p>\n

Lush<\/a>\u00a0cosmetics uses a little under 10% beach plastic in the black pots they use for packaging.<\/p>\n

Ocean Legacy is researching the possibility of converting ocean plastic into a marine fuel that can be used in their boats.<\/p>\n

McLennan believes that the hard plastics could be 100% recyclable.<\/p>\n

Lets Talk Trash<\/h2>\n

This is the first of a series of two interviews with\u00a0Abby McLennan<\/a>\u00a0from\u00a0Let\u2019s Talk Trash<\/a>\u00a0in Powell River. Let\u2019s Talk Trash is both an hour long monthly radio program broadcast over\u00a0Power River Community Radio, CJMP 90.1 FM<\/a>, and, since 2011, also the\u00a0qathet Regional District\u2019s Waste Reduction Education Program.<\/p>\n

quathet Regional District<\/h2>\n

The\u00a0quathet Regional District<\/a>\u00a0stretches from the ferry terminal at Saltry Bay, north along the coast to Toba Inlet. Hernando, Texada, Savary, and Lasqueti islands are all within its boundaries. More than\u00a065% of the inhabitants live in Powell River<\/a>\u00a0(2016 pop: 13,157).<\/p>\n

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\"Map<\/a>

Map of qathet Regional District taken from their website<\/p><\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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Savary Island<\/a>, the village of\u00a0Lund<\/a>\u00a0and smoke from the mill at Powell River can all be seen from the eastern shore of\u00a0Cortes Island<\/a>. They are also within the broadcast area of\u00a0Cortes Radio, CKTZ, 89.5 FM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Links of interest:<\/p>\n