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PolyGone Systems | Eliminating Plastic from our Waterways at Ashbridge Preserve

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By Daelin Brown, PolyGone Systems

There are somewhere between 83 and 358 trillion plastic particles floating around the world in our bodies of water, according to an international team of researchers. With this being equivalent to anywhere between 2.4 and 10.8 billion pounds of plastic, the plastic pollution problem should be one of our most urgent environmental concerns, but these microplastic particles cannot always be seen by the naked eye, which helps this problem go ignored.

The problem continues to go unnoticed because there are currently no regulations for the active systematic recording of microplastic particles. However, PolyGone Systems, a clean tech startup company spun out from Princeton University, saw the problem and decided to do something about it with the help of the Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT).

PolyGone Systems is innovating ways to remove microplastics from waterways by developing the world’s first affordable and portable microplastic capture device, the Plastic Hunter. The Plastic Hunter was designed to work in a wide array of water bodies and utilizes our original ‘artificial root’ filter to entrap microplastic debris. When the device is deployed into contaminated water, the microplastics in the water stick to the root filter, which makes removing these small particles possible.

With our great partnership with the WCT, we were able to collaborate and complete our first field test deployment at the Ashbridge Preserve. The WCT manages the land and natural resources of the Willistown area. Working together, we were able to deploy the prototype in a small tributary to Ridley Creek located within the Ashbridge Preserve.

Ridley Creek was found by WCT researchers to be contaminated with microplastics, which made this an ideal testing site. The prototype was tied to stakes located on either side of the stream, covering the majority of the stream’s width and was left to capture microplastic particles for one month.

Before and after the deployment of our Plastic Hunter device, WCT was able to monitor the water quality of Ridley Creek. They collected and filtered stream samples to count the microplastic concentrated in the waterway. By partnering with WCT, we are able to measure how well the Plastic Hunter captures microplastics!

After completing one month of operation, the coconut fiber brushes were removed, collected, and analyzed in the lab for their microplastic count. Looking through a microscope, a tough, and rigid plastic fiber can be seen in the coconut fiber sample, which means that the brush successfully captured microplastics from the stream.

However, after reviewing the success of the prototype, there were major improvements that needed to be made. Organic materials, including plants, algae, and insects, seemed to accumulate substantially on the prototype’s fiber brushes over time, which weighed down the prototype. To improve the device’s floating ability, we decided to use organic silicone fiber brushes. Since the change of brushes, we have seen 75% removal success within the first 24 hours of lab tank tests.

As we continue to update our projects and work alongside WCT, we completed two new field tests with a wood-textured platform on the device and a set of our new silicone-based artificial root filters back in November of 2022. These new prototypes have achieved a 25% removal success rate in the first 24 hours of field deployment.

PolyGone has received several grant awards for innovation, including a $1.9 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in partnership with the New York Sea Grant. This grant will allow us to continue to work with WCT by funding more field tests for our new filters and by supporting more talented employees to conduct the research and studies on microplastic’s impact on the environment.

How to Make Your Own Native Terrarium

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By Sarah Barker

Terrariums are a fun and easy way to engage with the environment. It only takes one afternoon to gather your materials and scavenge for tiny creatures to include in your mini ecosystem! Terrariums are small indoor gardens that can be made from any kind of clear glass container with or without a lid. Most people use mason jars or bell jars for their terrariums, and if you would like to add some small bugs, we recommend choosing a jar with a lid so your little friends don’t run away! However, you can make one with just plants if you are a beginner or only have an open glass container handy.

Terrariums can be put together with only a few materials, most of which can be sourced from your backyard! Besides your glass jar, you’ll need some rocks to anchor the plant roots and provide a system to retain water, moss and/or other small plants, locally sourced soil, and plastic wrap. First, you will need to grab some stones ranging in size from small pebbles and gravel to larger rocks, depending on the size of your chosen container. Rocks from streams or on the banks of a pond are preferred because they come pre-loaded with nutrients from microalgae and fungi that can help your ecosystem to thrive. However, any rocks you can find around outside will work.

Next, you will want to look for clumps of moss from which to take a few pieces. When harvesting moss, it is best to pick from the middle of the colony as opposed to the edges so that the moss can grow back more quickly. To gather your moss, you can use a small spatula to slide underneath the rhizomes of the moss — their equivalent of roots — to keep the clumps from falling apart and to allow them to establish faster once placed in your terrarium. Only take a few pieces from any one colony and harvest sparingly, as moss is slow to grow!

If you want to include other small plants, choose little ferns, groundcover like clover or ground ivy, or even little wildflowers. During July, many wildflowers are in full bloom, making it the ideal time to find some lovely plants for your terrarium. However, moss should be the main member of your indoor plant community and you should try to pick plants that are found growing in the shade or partial sun, as these plants are more likely to do well in your terrarium. This is where an enclosed container can be especially helpful; the lid helps to keep moisture trapped in the system, and as sunlight heats up the inside of the jar, water condenses at the top of the jar.  Once it cools, the water drips back down into the rocks and soil, keeping the moss and plants hydrated without any additional input.

If you want to include a couple of bugs, look for small crawling critters found around moss patches or under rocks like roly-polys (aka pill bugs) or arthropods like springtails. If you are a more advanced terrarium keeper, millipedes are also a great option, though they are much larger and require a bit more care than their smaller counterparts. The reason for choosing these kinds of bugs is that they are all wonderful housekeepers! They are decomposers that are great at preventing algae and mold from building up inside your ecosystem by eating it all up. If you have a smaller terrarium, you may only want to grab a couple of roly-polys to make sure there is enough food for everyone.

To transport any chosen creatures, place them in a small, clean plastic container. Poke some holes in the lid to allow some air for your bugs to breathe and place a bit of dirt inside with a couple of pebbles and sticks for them to hang out on.

Once you’ve collected all of your materials, the first thing you should do when you get home is rinse off all of your moss and other plants, taking time to make sure any other insects you haven’t chosen to include are removed and placed back outside. You should also inspect the pebbles, gravel, and larger rocks you’ve collected and rinse away any clumps of dirt. At this point, you should also clean your glass container and remove any stickers or adhesive on the glass so that sunlight can reach the plants.

After cleaning your inclusions, the first step of assembly is to place your wet stones into the bottom of your jar; this layer will provide drainage for the soil and retain water to be cycled back into the ecosystem when heated up under sunlight. Next, cut out a piece of plastic wrap roughly the size and shape of your glass jar with some small holes poked in it. This layer prevents the soil from falling in between your pebbles, which can cause mold growth and prevent proper drainage. You could also add in activated charcoal or sphagnum moss in between the rock and soil layers to prevent mold buildup, keep your terrarium clean, and help it to last longer, but this is completely optional! These materials can be purchased online, at a pet shop, or in a garden store.

After positioning the plastic wrap, place the soil on top, though not too densely packed. Next, you can put in the moss and plants, and taking care to gently press them into the soil, you can create small depressions with your fingers for any plants with roots that need to be covered. You can also place a couple larger rocks in this layer and add moss to the top of them. At this point, you could add in any decorative elements you may have around the house like seashells, pieces of wood, figurines, etc. Get creative! 

Journalist Brandi D. Addison shares how to build a spooky terrarium.

A small open terrarium (Credit: Brandi D. Addison, source here)

After adding in any decorative items, you can put in any bugs that you may have collected while you were outside. Make sure the rocks and soil are moist, and screw on your lid if you have one, and then, voila! Your terrarium is ready to go. Pop the jar on a partially shady table or desk that gets some natural light, but not direct sunlight, as moss tends to do better in shadier spots. 

Now sit back to watch your terrarium grow and change, modeling a miniature temperate ecosystem right in your own home. These ecosystems require only a little occasional upkeep. If you put a lid on your terrarium, you will not need to water it because the water will naturally cycle through the system. However, if your terrarium is open, you should make sure the soil is moist with occasional watering. You should also be sure the clean the inside and outside of the glass whenever it gets cloudy to allow sunlight to reach the plants. Every once and a while, smell the air in your terrarium. If it smells earthy that means it is healthy; however, if it smells bad that means that the soil is probably harboring some mold and should be replaced. 

Let’s Go Plastic Free — In Community

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By Pam Kosty

Most of us know: plastic, especially single-use plastic, is a big problem in our world today. And as one person faced with an avalanche of “convenience” plastics that make it into my life every day — cups and bottles, straws and boxes, and wrapping and netting around almost everything I set out to buy — I can feel overwhelmed.

Photo Caption: Left to right, Pat Jordan and Pam Kosty, EJ Team members, staff a signup table at Main Line Unitarian Church inviting people to join the regional Plastic Free July Challenge. A small box features plastic-eating worms, part of a science experiment. The worms did eat a bit of plastic before dying, but they appear not to be a complete solution to the single-use plastic crisis!

This year, about 380 million metric tons of plastic — about the weight of all of humanity living today — will be created from liquid fossil fuels and thousands of chemical additives, many of them known carcinogens. Much of this new plastic will enjoy a single use (that plastic bottle of water? That vegetable wrapped in cellophane at the grocery store?) before heading to a landfill (less than 10% is recycled), where it will not break down for hundreds of years or longer. Or, as I’ve learned as a volunteer Citizen Scientist understanding more about our local waterways, the plastics will end up in our water supply. The health consequences of this plastic are staggering, to humans and to all of life on earth.

That’s why, when I heard about Plastic Free July — a challenge to individuals to cut back or eliminate single-use plastics for one month — I took note. Founded in 2011 by a small group of Australians, Plastic Free July has grown annually. Last year, more than 140 million people took the challenge.

I am the co-chair of an Environmental Justice team at Main Line Unitarian Church, and I asked team members there if they would be interested in promoting and taking the challenge. The answer, with some trepidation, was yes — but how do we make it social, and local, and fun? Cutting back, yet alone cutting out single-use plastics is tough. Our society is steeped in a single-use plastics convenience culture.  Where can people go to share their successes, vent their frustrations, and get advice?

So we started a regional Plastic Free July website and forum, open to all, designed to be a simple space where folks can “sign on” to take the July challenge, share great resources on the forum, and know that they have a regional community that supports them. (You can join it too. Please do!)

Through PA Interfaith Power and Light, my own Unitarian Universalist environmental group connections, and other faith-based groups concerned about climate change and the environment, we’ve created a coalition of so far 10 faith communities all doing what they can to get the word out, and get congregants to sign up, to reduce their plastic use.

Individually, the problem is overwhelming. But in community, there is hope and strength. As we create a community on our regional website, we ask people to do two small things: 1. Invite one friend to join you (and just like that, you’ve doubled your impact). 2. Use this experience to engage with at least one pollution-producing company (a store with lots of plastic packaging, a company that sells their drinks in plastic bottles), asking that they reduce their reliance on single-use plastics.

Photo Caption: Members and guests at Main Line Unitarian Church are encouraged to sign the regional challenge, and get “on board” to reduce and refuse more single-use plastics. Signers are added to the board via post-it notes. Each week, the community grows!

Since the forum went up in early June, folks have been sharing their favorite tips on how to avoid buying everything wrapped in plastic. A group of us took a field trip Narberth, PA to enjoy lunch together and visit SHIFT, a new, women-run “refillery” and community center focused on ways to eliminate single-use plastics and reduce our carbon footprint. The owners shared their story and inspired us to do a little more with a little less.

Though single-use plastics didn’t even exist until the 1950s, plastic pollution today is a daunting problem. I believe that there can be a shift — if we choose to make one. And because we are social beings, it’s more fun to make that sustainability shift with friends. I like to remember the words of anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Plastic Free July Local Lessons from The Przybylowski Family

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During this year’s Plastic Free July, the Trust is committing to going plastic free and highlighting tips and tricks to reduce plastic use. Admitting we have a plastic problem is the first step to finding a solution, and that’s exactly what the Przbylowski family is doing. After partnering with NexTrex, 16-year-old twin sisters Kathryn and Madelyn distributed collection bins to gather plastic waste and raise awareness in our community. 

One of their collection bins can be found at the Rushton Farm Farmshed. We invite CSA members and visitors to Rushton Farm and Rushton Woods Preserve to drop off their plastic in this bin and in turn eliminate more plastic that makes its way to landfills everyday. Read below to understand what plastic is being accepted and learn more about this great project. 

Madelyn and Kathryn Pryzbylowski – NexTrex Program

Interview with mom, Tracy Przybylowksi, and her daughters, Kathryn and Madelyn.

Can you describe the project you are working on?

The organization we work with is called NexTrex and it’s through the Trex company which makes environmentally responsible outdoor products like composite decking and railing. We participate in the Trex School Challenge which means we compete with other schools our size across the nation to see who collects the most plastic film. Around Earth Day the winners are announced. This is a great program for schools because it raises awareness among students and families showing us first hand just how much plastic is used and thrown away, which is primarily single-use. We place our bins at Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School (we’re hoping to put one at Conestoga High Next year) as an easy way for families to drop off their plastic. We then collect the bin when it is full, we weigh it and bring it to Wegmans where Trex will then collect all plastic film to turn it into environmentally responsible outdoor products. We are trying to get as many schools to participate as possible. More information can be found here: https://recycle.trex.com/ 

How did you get involved in this project?

We’ve been “plogging” (picking up trash while jogging/walking) for several years around our neighborhoods and when we go to the beach after following Take 3 for the Sea. We noticed A LOT of plastic bags stuck in gutters and around waterways. We found this program and thought it would be a great way to educate our community and recycle plastic film. We started the program when we were in 8th grade which was around the time COVID-19 started. We have continued the program into high school. This was a good way to continue doing our community service since it requires no person to person contact and it was still the height of COVID through the first part of our sophomore year.

What kind of plastic do you collect?

We collect plastic film, specifically produce bags, store bags, ice bags, ziploc and other reclosable bags, cereal box liners, case over wrap, bread bags, news paper sleeves, dry cleaning bags, bubble wrap, plastic e-commerce bags. Acceptable plastic film poster here http://www.plasticsmarkets.org/jsfcode/upload/w493_q2_sp21_0_trex-recycling-posterpdf.pdf Unacceptable plastic film here http://www.plasticsmarkets.org/jsfcode/upload/wd_493/20220309150414_9_jsfwd_493_q2_1.pdf 

How much plastic did you collect last year?

During the 2020-21 school year, we placed 3rd in the nation by collecting 704 pounds. During the 2021-22 school year, we placed 3rd in the nation again by collecting 1,009 pounds.  

Who collected the most plastic last year?

The first place school that won last year was from Elmhurst, Illinois. They collected over 4,000 pounds of plastic. 

Where does the plastic that you collect go?

We place our NexTrex bins at Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School as an easy way for families to drop off their plastic. We’re hoping to put one at Conestoga High School next year as well. We then collect the bin when it’s full, weigh it, and bring it to Wegmans where Trex will collect all plastic film and turn it into environmentally responsible outdoor products. We are trying to get as many schools to participate as possible. More information can be found here:  https://recycle.trex.com/. You may also find bins at local libraries and Township buildings. If you can’t find a bin, Wegmans is a participating NexTrex business. 

Did you learn anything new, or did anything surprise you about this project?

We were mostly surprised by just how much plastic we have collected the last few years, and we know this is just a fraction of what is being thrown away everyday. Many families have shared this same sentiment. Before starting this project, we had no idea that plastic film could even be recycled into decking! 

Why do you think it’s important to use less plastic?

It’s hard to know exactly how long it takes for plastic film to decompose, but we know it’s at least a decade or more. It’s likely it will never fully decompose and will just turn into microplastics, which harm both humans and animals. The consumption of microplastics will only increase if we continue to irresponsibly dispose of single-use plastics. 

What are your collection goals for this year?

Our biggest goal is to educate our communities to use less plastic. We have given our collection numbers to local advocates who are trying to ban the use of plastic bags. Our hope is to continue to raise awareness and use more NexTrex bins in our townships so plastic film can be recycled responsibly and not end up in landfills and waterways. If plastic must be used, we hope that the plastic is then recycled into something environmentally responsible. We have recently had a lot of interest and questions from other schools looking to incorporate NexTrex in their schools so it’s exciting to see young people getting involved in environmental issues. 

How can people help you achieve your goals?

You can start helping by limiting the use of single-use plastic film! If you do have to use it, then properly dispose of it. We would be happy to drop off a NexTrex bin to your establishment! Or sign up for your own bin! You can also follow @Mainlineploggers on Instagram for some local environmental tips and programs that help keep our communities clean and green! 

Visit our Plastic Free July page for more resources.

Microplastics: The ever present contaminant

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By Watershed Protection Program Co-Op Vincent Liu

Large-scale plastic production has been around since the 1950s, and while plastics existed prior, it was not until this time where plastics began making their way into many aspects of life. With the rise of plastic as a popular material, microplastics emerged as a new contaminant. Microplastics are small pieces of plastic, less than 5mm in size, and they are everywhere. In even the most remote waters of Earth, microplastics can be found. Microplastics are not a recent environmental concern as they have been extensively studied in the marine environment. The presence and impact of microplastics on freshwater ecosystems, however, has been a topic of interest in recent years. With its ability to persist in the environment and being incredibly difficult to remove efficiently, microplastics have established themselves as a worrying pollutant.

Microplastics are formed when larger pieces of plastic break apart into smaller ones. They can come from a wide variety of sources, such as textiles, industry, and packaging. Single-use plastics that reach the environment gradually break into microplastics that can then wash into a stream from a storm event. Plastic fibers are easily shed in the washing machine and then end up in wastewater that enters streams and rivers. These are just some of the many ways that microplastics are released into water. The biological effects of microplastics are yet to be clearly defined, but harmful impacts have been found in studies involving freshwater fish and bottom-dwelling macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrates are small animals that lack a backbone, and some species are often used by scientists as indicators of stream health. A study by Redondo-Hasselerharm et. al in 2018 showed that the impact of microplastics on macroinvertebrates is species dependent, with some species being highly sensitive to microplastics and others not being affected at all. Specific health effects were also found in fish including liver damage and reduced growth.

I did my senior project on observing microplastics in Pennsylvanian streams while working with the environmental policy organization, PennEnvironment, on their citizen science microplastic project. PennEnvironment staff collected samples while I assisted in processing samples and analyzing the data. The samples were collected in glass jars, to help reduce the plastic contamination, and were run through a filtration system that draws the water sample through a filter, leaving just the suspended solid material from the water. The filter is placed under a microscope to detect the presence of microplastics within the sample. The 4 categories of microplastics that this project looked for were fibers, fragments, films, and beads. Fibers are long, thin strands of plastic that usually come from textiles. Films are flat, wide, and typically transparent. Beads are round spheres, often found in personal care products prior to 2015. Fragments are plastics that do not fit any of the other categories. A microplastic was distinguished from a natural material by using the squish test, which is a simple test done by poking the suspected microplastic with tweezers. Plastic will not break. It will either maintain its shape or mold into a different shape. 

Example of a microfiber viewed under a microscope. Photo by Caitlin Wessel

The results of the project confirmed the presence of microplastics in every stream that was sampled. What was particularly interesting was the low amount of microbeads compared to every other category of plastic. Beads were by far the least common category of microplastic. This can most likely be attributed to the Microbead-Free Waters Act in 2015, which banned plastic microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics. It was also notable that samples had wildly varying amounts of microplastic, though concentration was not calculated for this project. The site photos from where the samples were collected often told a story as well. In one of the sites, there was a blue tarp that was hanging from a tree into the stream just upstream of the collection site. During microplastic analysis for that sample, there was a noticeably high count of blue microfibers. 

Filtration system used to filter microplastic from water and the jars that samples are stored in

Finding ways to remediate microplastic already existing in the environment is an ongoing pursuit, but policy changes can reduce microplastic output from the source. The microbead ban leading to almost a complete disappearance of microbeads in waterways is an example of how legislation can lead to reductions of microplastic contamination. Policy changes in reducing unnecessary plastic usage and encouraging the use of alternative materials will reduce the amount of microplastics entering the streams. After over 70 years of mass plastic production, it may be time to switch gears and look for alternatives. 

— By Watershed Protection Program Co-Op Vincent Liu

References

Parker, B., Andreou, D., Green, I. D., & Britton, J. R. (2021). Microplastics in freshwater fishes: Occurrence, impacts and future perspectives. Fish and Fisheries, 22(3), 467–488. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12528

Redondo-Hasselerharm, Paula E., et al. “Microplastic Effect Thresholds for Freshwater Benthic Macroinvertebrates.” Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 52, no. 4, 30 Jan. 2018, pp. 2278–2286, https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.7b05367 

Eerkes-Medrano, D., Thompson, R. C., & Aldridge, D. C. (2015). Microplastics in freshwater systems: A review of the emerging threats, identification of knowledge gaps and prioritisation of research needs. Water Research, 75, 63–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2015.02.012

Birch, Q. T., Potter, P. M., Pinto, P. X., Dionysiou, D. D., & Al-Abed, S. R. (2020). Sources, transport, measurement and impact of nano and microplastics in urban watersheds. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 19(2), 275–336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-020-09529-x

Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. R., & Law, K. L. (2017). Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Science Advances, 3(7). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700782

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “The Microbead-Free Waters Act.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2018, www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/microbead-free-waters-act-faqs.b