#microplastics
UH grad student’s research reveals plastic pollution threats to endangered coral reefs
A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa graduate’s new research has revealed that plastic pollution may pose an underappreciated threat to the survival of endangered coral reefs. The study, led by Keiko Wilkins, a recent PhD graduate from UH Mānoa’s Marine Biology Graduate Program, found that chemicals released from plastics disrupt two critical processes essential for […]
HPU launches inaugural Marine Debris Circularity Academy in summer 2025
Hawai‘i Pacific University’s Center for Marine Debris Research is set to host its inaugural in-person Marine Debris Circularity Academy this summer on Oʻahu. The series of short courses is designed to promote sustainable solutions to the global plastic pollution crisis, with a focus on creating a “circular economy for plastics” in Hawai‘i and beyond.
Presentation to explore Maui’s polystyrene ban and its effectiveness on beach plastic
A ban on the use, sale or provision of polystyrene food service containers went into effect in Maui County more than three years ago. Researchers are exploring the question: “Did this ban improve the amounts or types of plastic on Maui beaches?”
EPA: Waters Around Two Hawai‘i Beaches Impaired by Plastic Pollution
The US Environmental Protection Agency has found the waters around two Hawaiʻi beaches to be impaired by plastic pollution and ordered state officials to take corrective actions under the Clean Water Act.
Lawsuit Alleges Failure to Protect Hawaiian Waters From Plastic Pollution
Environmental groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency today for allegedly failing to protect 17 coastal water bodies around Hawaiʻi from what they are calling “wide-scale plastic pollution.”
Pacific Whale Foundation Workshop on Marine Debris Research
The 2019 Hawai‘i Marine Debris Action Plan Research Workshop will be held July 25 to 26, with a presentation by Chief Scientist Jens Currie.
Canadian Students Help Combat Hawai‘i’s Microplastics Problem
A group of engineering students at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada have been working with the Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund (HWF) to design a prototype machine to remove small pieces of plastic debris from beaches. Their invention is called HoolaOne. The HWF has been working with volunteers to clean the coastlien near Kamilo Point […]
