Newsletter: The Flow of Trash Free Waters

Stay informed about the latest news from the Trash Free Waters program and our program partners with our electronic newsletter!

The Trash Free Waters program distributes ‘The Flow’ electronically to our many project partners and other interested stakeholders. ‘The Flow’ highlights important work that is happening at the local, state, national, and international levels related to trash reduction and prevention. Join our email list to receive 'The Flow' in your inbox.

The Trash Free Waters program also distributes a shorter monthly email called 'The Rapids,' which is packed with aquatic trash-related announcements, events, and funding opportunities, as well as descriptions of some of the more notable new studies on microplastics. View archived issues of 'The Rapids.' 

Recent Issues

• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - November 2024 (pdf) (3.21 MB)  Takeaways from a remote island trash expedition; launch of the Escaped Trash Risk Map; White House Council on Environmental Quality's Mobilizing Federal Action on Plastic Pollution; looking ahead to the Fifth Session of the INC; and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters – April 2024 (pdf) (4.05 MB, April 30, 2024, EPA-842-N-24-001) Earth Month reflections; World Wildlife Fund Plastic Policy Summit; Trash Free Waters regional success stories; Plastic Free Parks TrashBlitz; PFAS drinking water regulation; Historic commitments to clean water in the US; and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - November 2023 (pdf) (2.22 MB, November 16, 2023, EPA-842-N-23-002) TFW 10-year anniversary; Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution; global plastic pollution treaty; Escaped Trash Assessment Protocol app; Chesapeake Bay Action Plastic Pollution Action Team; Trash Free Waters art contest; Marine Debris Foundation; new legislation introduced; and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - January 2023 (pdf) (1.66 MB, January 2023, EPA-842-N-23-001) New program icon; reusable foodware to four cities; development of the Long Island Sound Marine Debris Action Plan & Puerto Rico Marine Debris Strategic Plan; assessments of urban watershed microplastics; development of microfibers and tire wear particles report; and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - May 2022 (pdf) (3.41 MB, May 2022, EPA-842-N-22-001) Discussing a global plastic treaty; developing a Microfiber Report to Congress; release of the South Atlantic Strategy and Curbside Disposal Education Campaign Case Study; recent TFW projects in Alabama, Kansas, and New York; and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - October 2021 (pdf) (1.86 MB, October 2021, EPA-842-N-21-002) Addressing marine litter domestically and abroad; ongoing stakeholder engagement initiatives; trash capture and the use of the Escaped Trash Assessment Protocol (ETAP); educating residents about proper curbside disposal behaviors; announcing the student winners of the AMA competition; and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - March 2021 (pdf) (3.3 MB, March 2021, EPA-842-N-21-001)
  A look into Trash Free Waters during Covid-19; The Trash Free St. Louis trash capture project kickoff and additional project announcements; Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico TFW grant programs; passage of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act; recommended reading; and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - May 2020 (pdf) (3.53 MB, May 2020, EPA-842-N-18-003)
  Administrator Wheeler's visit to Brazil; update on the "Community Cans" project in Philadelphia; expansion of the Trash Free Texas Adopt-A-Spot tool; various cleanup events and conferences; announcing the monthly TFW "Rapids" email; upcoming webinars and funding opportunities!

• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - October 2019 (pdf) (4.11 MB, October 2019, EPA-842-N-19-002)
  Two new Trash Free Waters grants programs; Trash capture in Proctor Creek; Various regional anti-littering campaigns; Mobile Bay NEP Watershed Planning; Latin American Trash Free Waters Initiative update; plus The Rapids, upcoming conferences, funding opportunities and more!

• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - May 2019 (pdf) (3.35 MB, May 2019, EPA-842-N-19-001)
  Administrator Wheeler's remarks on marine litter; Microplastics research; Recycle Across America; Trash capture in Mobile and Atlanta; Mississippi Sound; Gulf of Mexico nurdles; Disaster debris planning; Data collection apps; The Rapids - events, grant opportunities and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - December 2018 (pdf) (1.37 MB, December 7, 2018, EPA-842-N-18-004)
  International Trash Free Waters; G7 Nations and Plastic Innovation Challenge; Microplastics Research in Sediment; Restaurant Source Reduction; Mexico Bag Ordinance; Messaging; Hydration Stations; Tourism; Our Ocean Conference; plus funding, events, and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - June 2018 (pdf) (2.14 MB, June 2018, EPA-842-N-18-003)
  The 6th International Marine Debris Conference; microplastics and corals in the Caribbean; San Juan Bay Estuary Program hurricane follow-up; tribes dealing with marine debris; expanding the trash free trinity; TFW Summit in Baltimore, MD; plus news, events, funding opportunities, conferences, and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters – January 2018 (pdf) (1.57 MB, January 2018, EPA-842-N-18-001)
  Microplastics research; hurricane recovery in Puerto Rico; fishing line collection and recycling; Washington DC Trash Summit; regional strategy to address balloon release litter; TFW workshop in Panama; plus news, events, funding opportunities, conferences, and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters – August 2017 (pdf) (1.1 MB, 08/09/2017, EPA-842-N-17-003)
  Get featured in the National Great Practices Compendium, grassroots conservation group and two new skimmer boats work to protect the Anacostia River, Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Free Rivers, Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body (RPB) public meetings, partnering with the Urban Waters and National Estuary Programs, Trash Free Trinity River, news, events, funding opportunities, conferences, contests, and more!
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters – November 2016 (pdf) (1.28 MB, November 2016, EPA-842-N-16-002A)
  Ocean conference III, microplastics, Peru, Peace Corps, Urban Waters Initiative, Galveston, Baltimore, Puerto Rico, grant opportunities, student contests, trash, litter, and more.
• The Flow of Trash Free Waters – July 2016 (pdf) (602.52 KB, July 2016, EPA-842-N-14-005)
  National Workshop, 'Aguas Sin Basura' in Panama, Improved Website, NYC B.Y.O. Bag Bill, Trash Free Trinity River Basin, TFW in Puerto Rico, Aquatic Trash Prevention Great Practices, Gulf States Litter Control Policies and Programs

• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - February 2016 (pdf) (4.24 MB, February 2016, EPA-842-N-14-004)

• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - October 2015 (pdf) (1.11 MB, October 2015, EPA-842-N-14-003)

• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - April 2015 (pdf) (340.14 KB, April 2015, EPA-842-N-14-002A)

• The Flow of Trash Free Waters - November 2014 (pdf) (425.62 KB, November 2014, EPA-842-N-14-002)