Category: Engagement Latest

Plastics: Land to Sea initiative organizing discussions to spur local collaborations, further research

KINGSTON, R.I.—September 25, 2023 – Plastics, ranging from tiny, decades-old molecules to large piles of waste, have infiltrated every aspect of human and environmental systems worldwide. Despite current scientific understanding, several challenges remain for researchers and policymakers alike to implement effective strategies for reducing the consequences of plastic pollution in our communities.

This fall and spring, the URI Plastics initiative is hosting, “Empowering Plastics Solutions,” a series of discussions aimed at sharing information and novel approaches, as well as identifying potential collaborations, among faculty, students, and community and industry partners.

During these talks, experts and URI community members will explore:

• Learning from the Past: Discover how insights from history can guide us toward equitable solutions for tackling plastic pollution in the future.
• Community-Centric Solutions: Explore ways to create fair and effective responses to plastic pollution challenges in various communities.
• Ecosystem Insights: Gain an understanding of the life cycle of plastics in different ecosystems and how we can reduce their impact.
• Circular Solutions: Find out about exciting new approaches to plastic production and management, all within the framework of a circular economy.

These insightful conversations are a prelude to a larger workshop scheduled for next May. Through these efforts, URI’s Plastics initiative seeks to inspire fresh avenues for future research and secure funding from federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as private funding sources.

Rebecca Altman, a writer, sociologist and daughter of a former plastics maker, a URI chemical engineering alum, will start with the series on Thursday, October 12, 5:30-7 pm at the Higgins Welcome Center. She now holds a PhD in environmental sociology from Brown University and writes about plastics (as well as PFAS) history for the public whose work focuses on the history of plastics and its environmental legacy. For a full schedule and more information about the seminar series, visit the Seminar Series.

About the URI Plastics initiative

The URI Plastics Initiative is coordinating research efforts with several faculty and students to investigate the impacts of plastic pollution (links) and find alternative solutions to this global challenge (links).

Dr. Vinka Oyanedel-Craver, director of the URI Plastics initiative and professor of civil and environmental engineering, describes the initiative as, “An effort to coordinate the vast knowledge and research expertise at URI with local, national and international stakeholders to build research capacity to address this global challenge.”

In May 2023, URI hosted its inaugural Global Plastics Forum, bringing together over 100 local, national and international experts from organizations tackling the impact of plastics. URI’s Plastics: Land to Sea initiative has provided more than $200,000 to seven interdisciplinary faculty teams collaborating with local stakeholders to conduct research to help to address the plastic pollution challenges.

“We can’t solve the plastic problem by ourselves, and we have seen the commitment at the University of Rhode Island to advancing our thinking on this topic, regionally and across the United States,” said Bethany Jenkins, interim vice-president of Research and Economic Development at URI. “I am excited that we can foster these conversations and ideas.”

As a direct outcome of the forum, the URI Plastics initiative is launching this seminar series with key national stakeholders.

“When it comes to policy and management, inequity exists,” says Yoshitaka Ota, director of The Ocean Nexus Center, a research initiative applying equity principles for positive policy change around marine management that has recently relocated to URI.  “We need to have a discussion about dignity, which is the center of policy in our governments because we work for the people.”

At the 2023 Global Plastics Forum, organized by the University of Rhode Island’s Plastics: Land to Sea initiative on May 15-16, 2023, local, national and global stakeholders gathered into working groups focused around three key topics–Sustainable textiles, developing international research networks, and centering equity and justice in marine plastics research.

The working groups were tasked with developing reports to track ideas and potential collaborations within these research topics. Visit the working group homepage for more information about this work post-forum.

Neuroscience, Pharmacy Professor Jaime Ross’ study finds ‘widespread’ infiltration, potential for serious health consequences, including Alzheimer’s

KINGSTON, R.I. — Aug. 30, 2023 — Plastics—in particular, microplastics—are among the most pervasive pollutants on the planet, finding their way into the air, water systems and food chains around the world. While the prevalence of microplastics in the environment is well known—as are their negative impacts on marine organisms—few studies have examined the potential health impacts on mammals, prompting University of Rhode Island Professor Jaime Ross’ new study.

Ross and her team focused on neurobehavioral effects and inflammatory response to exposure to microplastics, as well as the accumulation of microplastics in tissues, including the brain. They have found that the infiltration of microplastics was as widespread in the body as it is in the environment, leading to behavioral changes, especially in older test subjects.

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This article originally appeared through the University of Rhode Island’s Rhody Today on August 24, 2023.

First study of its kind shows prevalence of microplastics in the Bay; URI researchers also show their harmful effects

KINGSTON, R.I. – Aug. 30, 2023 – Two University of Rhode Island researchers estimate that the top 5 centimeters (2 inches) of the floor of Narragansett Bay now contain more than 1,000 tons of microplastics, and that buildup has occurred in just the last 10 to 20 years.

This news is likely to stun generations of Rhode Islanders who have gotten their first taste of ocean life at the shoreline. From Oakland Beach to Salty Brine Beach, a Rhode Island child’s introduction to the ocean often happens first at the water’s edge, with a pail and a shovel, digging at the tide line.

It’s a pretty picture, but what are they digging up?

A new study published by the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography is giving state residents, and the future generation of beachgoers, a clearer picture of what exactly is being found in Narragansett Bay.

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This article originally appeared through the University of Rhode Island’s Rhody Today on August 24, 2023.

A collaboration between research and industry receives Phase 2 funding from the National Science Foundation to develop biodegradable oceangoing bioplastics.

Plastic’s cheapness, versatility and durability are undeniable, but in a burgeoning Ocean Internet of Things, plastic as we know it and the marine environment are a toxic combination.

“Just as there has been an explosion of networked devices in our daily lives, we’ve seen a big increase in the number of networked devices throughout the ocean,” said URI oceanographer Melissa Omand.

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This article originally appeared through the University of Rhode Island’s Rhody Today on Oct. 6, 2022.