EPA OFFICE OF 

WATER PROGRAM 

ACTIONS ON 

PLASTIC WASTE
EXISTING LEGAL AUTHORITIES AND EPA 

PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS AQUATIC TRASH

EPA offices that are working on various 

aspects of the aquatic trash problem include: • Office of Water • Office of International and Tribal 

Affairs

• Office of Land and Emergency 

Management • Office of Research and Development • Office of Chemical Safety and 

Pollution Prevention

• Office of Air and Radiation

• Regional Offices

Existing legal authorities to potentially 

address trash/plastics include:  Clean Water Act  Pollution Prevention Act  Resource Conservation and Recovery Act  Marine Debris Act, amended by Save 

Our Seas Act of 2018

 Save Our Seas Act 2.0

 Toxic Substances Control Act
TECHNICAL RESOURCES, 

OUTREACH, AND NATIONAL 

STRATEGY
Goals: The TFW program has the following three main goals:

• Reduce waste generation at the source and change systems and behaviors that cause 

trash to get into our waterways. 

Prevention

• Remove trash from U.S. waterways by supporting trash capture solutions and other 

remediation efforts.

Removal

• Improve understanding of the sources, causes, pathways, and impacts of aquatic trash 

(including microplastics) to devise solutions that reduce trash pollution and minimize risks

Research

TRASH FREE WATERS PROGRAM (TFW) GOALS
POST CONSUMER MATERIALS MANAGEMENT AND 

WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY (SAVE OUR SEAS 2.0 

ACT SEC 301) 

 Domestic stakeholder strategy in consultation with stakeholders to 

address trash loadings into waterways/oceans.

 Strategy will articulate challenges to addressing the problem of 

trash/plastic waste in waterways and actions to address challenges.

 Roadmap for Trash Free Waters projects/activities going forward.

 Strategy expected to be completed by Summer of 2023.
DATA COLLECTION AND MODELING PROJECT

 To help measure progress on the water management objective of the 

forthcoming SOS 2.0 Section 301 Strategy, TFW is working on a 

project to estimate solid waste loadings into US domestic waterways.

 We intend to build a model of what solid waste materials are 

getting into waterways by total weight, material type, and item 

type.

 We also plan to provide geographical variations in the distributions 

of solid waste in waterways.

 Plan is to run this model on some regular time basis (e.g. annually) to 

ascertain progress over time.

 TFW intends to make this data publicly available.
REPORT ON MICROFIBER POLLUTION 

 With the Interagency Marine Debris 

Coordinating Committee (IMDCC), TFW is leading 

development of a Report to Congress on 

Microfiber Pollution.

 Major component of Report is a five-year 

federal plan for reducing microfiber pollution.

 Draft Report public comment period ended Oct. 

17, 2022.

 Final report expected by Summer 2023.

Report on Microfiber Pollution

2023 REPORT TO CONGRESS

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Behalf of the Interagency 

Marine Debris Coordinating Committee

1200 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20460
PRIORITY MICROPLASTICS RESEARCH 

NEEDS REPORT 

TFW published a follow-up report to its 2017 

Microplastics Expert Workshop (MEW) report.

Main Purpose: a resource for microplastics researchers 

and funders.

Content: Describes research advances since 2017 in: 1) 

Analytical Methods; 2) Sources, Transport, Fate; 3) 

Environmental Assessments; 4) Human Health Assessments

1. Identifies remaining research gaps.

2. Identifies emerging areas of interest.

3. Lists major conferences and publications addressing microplastics. 

Photo credits: Creative Commons
TIRE PARTICLES

 Collaborating with EPA’s stormwater program on a 

tire particles in waterways project.

Tire-derived microplastics may cause adverse 

effects for aquatic-dependent wildlife.

 Two stakeholder roundtables held to identify 

challenges and needs.

 Summary paper based on learning from 

roundtables being developed, including 

recommendations for future action.
ESCAPED TRASH ASSESSMENT AND 

BEACH MICROPLASTICS PROTOCOLS

 ETAP is a quantitative survey tool providing a standard, yet 

adaptable method for collecting and quantifying trash.

 ETAP is useful for several purposes, including informing 

upstream management interventions.

 We are currently developing an app for ETAP (part of Marine 

Debris Tracker).

 Separate citizen science beach microplastics protocol on the 

TFW website.
REUSABLE FOODWARE PROJECT

TFW is partnering with the NGO Perpetual to help select 

municipalities effectively design, contract, and oversee the 

implementation of a reusable Foodware system at cityscale. 

Project goal: Show proof of concept – that reuse can be 

economically viable, minimize environmental impact, be 

healthy and safe, aligned with city planning, and 

equitable and accessible for users. Market results to other 

cities.

We are partnering with the following cities:  Ann Arbor, MI  Savannah, GA

 Galveston, TX

 Hilo, HI
TRASH STORMWATER PERMIT 

COMPENDIUM 

• TFW compiled language from stormwater permits 

and other resources for use in developing trashspecific permits.

• Best Management Practice effectiveness and cost 

information is included along with two case studies 

showcasing trash provisions in permits and 

stormwater plans.

• Helpful resource for stormwater permit writers, 

municipal stormwater planners, and others.
STORMWATER-SOLID WASTE 

DIALOGUES

• Stakeholders in the municipal solid waste and 

stormwater sectors identified challenges and 

opportunities for addressing aquatic trash.

• Outcomes: summary report, inventory of resources to 

support solutions, and new projects from the partners.

• TFW partners: National Municipal Stormwater Alliance, 

the American Chemistry Council, and KCI Technologies.
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES 

Regular Communications:

 The Flow – In-depth newsletter on TFW-related 

news and projects.

 The Rapids – Monthly TFW email including 

upcoming webinars and conferences, funding 

opportunities, news & announcements, and the 

latest in microplastics research.

TFW Webinar Series: 

 Quarterly webinars with experts on TFW topics.
PLACE-BASED PROJECT EXAMPLES
80+ place-based projects 

across all 10 EPA Regions 

received TFW technical 

and/or financial support 

since 2013

200+ additional trash 

related projects totaling 

$24.2 Million 

implemented through 

other EPA programs 

20+ published TFW 

technical reports, tools, 

and resources
EPA Region 4, The Coca-Cola Company, the National 

Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the City of 

Atlanta, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Groundwork 

Atlanta, and Park Pride partnered to install several 

innovative trash-trap systems along Proctor Creek.

In 2019, EPA facilitated a Proctor Creek Stakeholder 

Investment Meeting with leaders from local government, 

foundations, non-profits, and businesses to identify resource 

needs and secure funding for source reduction efforts and 

trash traps. 

As a result of this meeting, the Coca-Cola Company 

invested $350,000 in the project through their World 

Without Waste Initiative.

PROCTOR CREEK TRASH CAPTURE
With financial support from EPA’s Trash Free Waters 

Program, the Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program 

(SMBNEP) implemented a one-year pilot project in 

partnership with Clean Water Action and Clean Water 

Fund to reduce single use disposable packaging at four Los 

Angeles restaurants.

After the project’s first year, these four restaurants 

eliminated 247,570 pieces of single-use disposables 

resulting in an annual waste reduction of 2,637 pounds.

The project has since been expanded to other area 

restaurants.

SANTA MONICA BAY RETHINK 

DISPOSABLE
• Intention: Help stakeholders in NC, SC, GA, and FL explore more 

effective ways to reduce litter, mismanaged waste, and microplastics from 

entering regional waterways and eventually the Atlantic Ocean.

• Hosted 8 state-specific and regional stakeholder engagement workshops 

over the past few years, leading to the development of the SAS – a 

compendium of >70 project concepts falling under 6 agreed-upon 

priority goals.

• Complementary efforts: SAS Funding Compendium, SAS Online 

Implementation Tool, and ongoing regional discussions

SOUTH ATLANTIC STRATEGY
20

BARNEGAT BAY REUSE CAMPAIGNBay

Reuse Campaign • Outreach campaign: posters, radio 

ads, digital boat ads, social media 

posts • Message: encourage residents and 

tourists to transition away from 

single-use plastics with reusable 

swaps • Impact measurement: openended beach intercept surveys at 

locations exposed to different 

materials • Next steps: analyze results and 

summarize in case study • Outreach campaign: posters, A • Outreach campaign: posters, radio ads, digital boat 

ads, social media posts, website. • Message: encourage residents and tourists to 

transition away from single-use plastics with reusable 

swaps. • Impact measurement: interviews and litter surveys. • Next steps: analyze results and summarize in case 

study.
CURBSIDE DISPOSAL 

PILOT PROJECT

 Pilot project with Washington DC to improve resident trash disposal behavior to 

minimize unintentional spillage of trash.

 Goal: educate residents about proper waste containment and encourage 

reduced unintentional leakage associated with curbside trash collection.

 Findings suggest the program had a positive impact.

 A case study narrative outlining data collection methodology, findings, and 

lessons learned has been posted for other municipalities. 
OTHER OFFICE OF WATER ACTIVITIES

 Integrated Report memorandum incorporating trash directives 

and providing examples of trash water quality standards.

 Stormwater permit program Sector Specific Fact Sheets.

 Multi-Sector General Permit for Stormwater Discharges 

Associated with Industrial Activity.

 Other potential actions with Nonpoint Source Program, Effluent 

Limitation Guidelines, and Pretreament Standards.
Romell Nandi

US EPA

nandi.romell@epa.gov

www.epa.gov/trashfree-waters