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

A killer whale dorsal fin breaks the surface of the ocean while a large cargo ship travels in the background, left of the orca. Silhouettes of mountains are visible in the distance.

Listen to Lance Barrett-Lennard explain the importance of proper policy recommendations for Southern Resident killer whale recovery

Media roundup of recent coverage of the Independent Science Panel on SRKW Recovery.
Three heads of Southern resident killer whales emerge from the ocean surface, water splashing as they breathe.

Turning the tide for Southern Resident killer whales

At 73 individuals, the southern resident killer whales’ decline since being listed as endangered two decades ago is unfolding in plain sight, despite mounting science on how to reverse it.
A group of youth gather at the bow of a sailboat and admire the dorsal fin of a whale in the distance.

Building a culture of marine-mammal safe boating on the coast

This free course can help keep you and wildlife safe while on the water.
A man smiles at the camera, standing in front of a calm body of water, wearing a deep blue jacket.

How science can lead to tangible options that improve everyday outcomes

An interview with the newest selection committee member for the Raincoast Ocean Science Awards, Jason Hwang, Chief Program Officer and Vice President of Salmon at Pacific Salmon Foundation.
A beaver swims in a calm body of water, surrounded by green wetland with a forest in the background.

Beaver-based restoration

In a time when catastrophic conflagrations are becoming a new normal, an unlikely character is being welcomed back onto the landscape after generations of trapping and removal.
Two scientists stand at the edge of a body of water, one standing up, wearing a red raincoat and writing notes, the other crouching and deploying a tool into the water on a long cord.

A watershed based approach to assessing water quality in Cheakamus/Green River watersheds

Read our reports from working with Whistler Lakes Conservation Foundation in the Alpha, Nita, Alta, Lost, and Green lakes.
A black bear standing in belly deep flowing water sinks teeth into a large salmon, splashing.

New research highlights important routes to spawning salmon for coastal bears

Hey Siri – what’s the best route to a seafood joint?
A killer whale dorsal fin breaks the surface of the ocean while a large cargo ship travels in the background, left of the orca. Silhouettes of mountains are visible in the distance.

A shift in focus for NoiseTracker

Raincoast has hosted the NoiseTracker initiative since 2023. This year, we have shifted our focus from building a coast-wide noise monitoring platform to a more localized underwater noise research and analysis program. Through NoiseTracker, we aim to provide governments and decision-makers with science-based recommendations that support healthy marine ecosystems.