Plastic pollution

Photo by April Benze.

Plastic pollution is choking our waterways and threatening the health of fish and wildlife. We are collecting plastic and microplastic data as part of our community-oriented water pollution monitoring program. We are collaborating on research projects with universities, governments and experts in the field. We are providing advice to local, regional and federal governments on plastic science, policies, and regulations. We are working with Ocean Diagnostics to support a strong science-based foundation for solutions.

Lots of garbage on a beach.
Photo by Simon Ager.
People working together to take samples of water in jars.
Photo by Alex Harris / Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

Our approach

  • Design a source identification toolbox for plastic pollution; 
  • Working with Indigenous and coastal communities to document plastic pollution and track this back to its source;
  • Conduct research on the source, transport and fate of micro and macroplastics in the environment;
  • Engage in outside-the-box dialogue with industry and governments to support more sustainable design, manufacturing and processes that stem the release of plastics during the life cycle of a product;
  • Support community-oriented outreach and training to support solution-oriented actions and capacity building.

Plastics are everywhere

Plastics from just about every sector can now be found all over the world – from mountain tops to the seafloor, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and from our homes to the ocean. A modern-day scourge that is blighting remote beaches and shorelines, getting mistaken for food by wildlife, and getting into the foods that nourish us. Whether it’s the structural features of plastic products that suffocate, entangle, or create intestinal blockages – or the endocrine disrupting-contaminants that serve as ingredients of the product (e.g. Bisphenol A or phthalate esters) or as hitchhikers soaked up by plastics in the environment (e.g. PCBs or metals) – plastics are harmful.

Underwater photo of plastic floating near the top of the water.
Chinook salmon swim in a river as seen from head on; epic.
Photo by Fernando Lessa.

The impact on the environment

Without a dramatic re-think, the plastic crisis is here to stay. Despite the best intentions of governments, industry, and consumers to reduce, recycle or re-use, global plastic production continues to enjoy exponential growth. And the unintentional loss to the environment of plastic products and byproducts will continue – plastic bags, bottles, and fishing gear, as well as the discharge of microplastics through domestic and industrial waste. With that will come a constant stream of items that will be mistaken for food but offer zero nutrition, that will entangle wildlife, and will deliver endocrine disruptors to our aquatic food webs. We will document impacts, share findings, and work for change through science, community engagement, and expert advice.

Recent articles

Only 15% of the Fraser River estuary’s former habitat remains accessible to young salmon. More ports and terminals at Roberts Bank will further harm the habitat that remains.

The Fraser River Estuary: A vital salmon nursery under pressure

Fraser River salmon cannot afford to lose any more of the estuary they depend on.
A bear and her cub stand on a mossy rock along the water.

Letter in Science challenges Alberta’s ill-advised black bear hunting policy

Scientists question the evidence behind Alberta’s approach to “responsible wildlife stewardship” and call for the suspension of hound hunting.
A wolf standing on rocks looking at the camera.

Through the lens: Celebrating the coastal grey wolf and Canada Post’s wolf stamp

Photographer Michelle Valberg shares the story behind the image.
4 people stand outside around a drone near a riverbed.

Equip the mission

Supporters who provide the tools our team needs to do their work.
A group of scientists sit in an elevated platform on a sailboat at sea, looking out at the landscape and waters. The title "Learning to Listen" reads across the mountains, and film laurels grace the bottom alongside credits.

New short film showcases Raincoast scientists’ work investigating killer whale communication

Learning to Listen follows Dr. Valeria Vergara and team as Raincoast examines what different killer whale calls may mean, and how underwater noise impacts the lives of these animals.
3 killer whales surface together.

Why Canada must not fast-track an oil pipeline into the Fraser River Estuary

11 reasons why the West Coast Oil Pipeline should not be designated a Project of National Interest.
A small green fish in a clear container with a ruler behind it.

Meet the non-salmonids of Roberts Bank eelgrass habitat

Highlighting the overlooked species that make eelgrass habitat one of the Fraser River Estuary’s most diverse ecosystems.
A gray wolf is seen via a remote camera carrying a salmon in it's mouth, looking at the camera as they trot by.

A wolf’s connection to salmon

In the rich coastal forests of British Columbia, gray wolves are not just land-based hunters – they become salmon specialists each fall when these fish return to spawn.