
Environmental Sustainability and Resilience Practitioner Fellow, University of Virginia 's Environmental Institute, sww4rn@virginia.edu
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Old Dominion University, rdunbar@odu.edu
Special Projects Coordinator, Elizabeth River Project, rdunbar@elizabethriver.org
Marine Debris Research
Marine debris is a growing problem in the urban Elizabeth River located in the lower Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia. Most important - the Elizabeth River is located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. It's important to find a solution to the pollution before it enters the ocean.
I will share my research as I study the Elizabeth River's marine debris problem.
According to Clean Virginia Waterways and based on twenty years of data - the top 10 marine debris items found by volunteers in Virginia are:
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Cigarette Filters
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Plastic Beverage Bottles
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Grocery Bags
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Food Wrappers
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Beverage Cans
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Other Plastic Bags
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Bottle Caps (Plastic)
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Cups and Plates (Plastic and Foam)
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Beverage Bottles (Glass)
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Straws, Stirrers


Weekly Photo Journal
Trash washed ashore during high tide on the shore. Look close and you'll see a glass bottle, fishing line and plastic cup.
June 2025 Photo by Robin Dunbar
October 2022.
Rubbish in the River

