The Delaware Sea Grant program at the University of Delaware is removing over 11,000 pounds of debris from the upper Delaware Bay through the installation and maintenance of several interception devices.
Type of Project: Interception
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Project Dates: October 2025 – September 2028
Who is involved?
With support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the Delaware Sea Grant program at the University of Delaware—in partnership with Osprey Initiative, Delaware Department of Transportation, Goodwill, Delaware River & Bay Authority, the Work-a-Day/Earn-a-Pay program, and New Castle County’s Great Schools, Clean Streams Challenge program—is installing and maintaining interception devices in tributaries of the upper Delaware Bay. The project aims to capture more than 11,000 pounds of marine debris and reach students and residents through community cleanups and training programs.
What is the project and why is it important?
Litter and illegal dumping are highly problematic in Delaware’s densely populated urban watershed communities. These issues greatly add to Delaware Bay’s marine debris burden, which can harm Delaware’s fisheries and coastal-centric economy.
To reduce marine debris, partners are installing several interception devices in tributaries of the upper Delaware Bay. Leveraging the Work-a-Day/Earn-a-Pay program, a joint venture between the state of Delaware and Goodwill, the project is providing employment opportunities for 36 people who are being trained to maintain the devices. Project partners are also hosting cleanups, developing a new train-the-trainer course for youth programs that serve the Route 9 Corridor, and supporting New Castle County’s Great Schools, Clean Streams Challenge program. Additionally, this project will implement the Storm Drain Heroes stewardship training program, which will train residents in protocols to safely clean around storm drains and provide education on various aspects of litter and marine debris topics.
These activities are reducing the quantity of trash entering Delaware Bay and quantifying the specific types of marine debris in the estuary. By equipping community members with the knowledge, supplies, and skills needed to better understand and prevent marine debris, this project will improve the health of the environment and support local economies in the long term.
This article originally appeared on the NOAA Marine Debris Program site. You can view the original story online here.
