Staff Scientist Katy Hunt tackles Trash Trout trash in Duffyfield Canal.

The New Bern Trash Trout got its first clean-out last week, when Sound Rivers’ staff scientist Katy Hunt and water-quality intern Maddie Garrison teamed up to wade into Duffyfield Canal.

The 360 pieces of trash they pulled from the litter trap — including two soccer balls and a fishing pole — filled up one full bag of trash.

“While there were a handful of the expected items, glass bottles, aluminum cans, plastic water bottles, and plenty of tobacco products like wrappers and filters, our most numerous finds were Styrofoam pieces,” Katy said, adding that they counted 233 individual fragments of Styrofoam, from fast food cups and plates to egg cartons and busted coolers. “Being the weekend after the 4th of July, the Styrofoam plates were not at all a surprise.”

We encourage everyone to use compostable plates for your next outdoor get-together!

For more information about Sound Rivers’ Trash Trouts on Jack’s Creek in Washington and Duffyfield Canal in New Bern, and the microplastics research they are supporting, go HERE.