Marine Debris Project

Symposium: Reducing Marine Debris at the Source: Finding Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic Dates: September 21–22, 2026 Location: Wells Conference Center, Orono, ME Poster Session & Prototype Exhibition Time: Monday, September 21, 2026, from 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM. Abstract submissions due by August 18, 2026, 5:00 PM EST We are excited to invite abstract submissions […]

We are proud to share that the #LoveMaineWaters coalition (Maine Sea Grant, Maine Island Trail Association, Maine Marine Trades Association, and MCFA) has been awarded the Maine Tourism Board annual Stewardship Award. Watch the video below to learn more about the coalition project and the award.

Learn more about how our Graduate student Olivia Lee is trying to find a use for lobster shells and helping the environment at the same time by making a foam lobster shell composite as an alternative to EPS, commonly known as Styrofoam, specifically for thermal insulation and packaging applications.

Learn more about the the ReuseME pilot launched in Bar Harbor as part of a larger, interdisciplinary marine debris reduction project funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Maine Sea Grant, and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. 

Read more about the findings of the survey conducted by University of Maine researchers this summer to understand the cost burden of disposable food packaging on Bath food service providers. Catherine Segada, a graduate research assistant and Bath community liaison with the NOAA/Sea Grant Marine Debris Challenge Project and a master’s student in anthropology and […]

Bath is joining a new pilot program next year aimed at reducing single-use food packaging waste by helping local restaurants explore reusable containers through the University of Maine’s ReuseME initiative, a project supported in part by a Maine Sea Grant-administered Marine Debris Reduction Challenge Grant to develop alternatives to disposable plastics and address marine debris […]

The Press Herald explains that coastal communities like South Portland can tackle growing plastic waste and marine debris by shifting from disposable to reusable packaging, highlighting how local reuse pilot efforts supported by research and outreach offer a practical path toward reducing single-use plastics and their impacts on Maine’s environment.

By adopting reusable food packaging systems, Bar Harbor could cut down the large amount of waste generated by summer tourism. Read more on the MD Islander.

Chyanne Yoder spoke with UMaine News about seeking to prevent plastic pollution at its source by piloting systems for reusable food containers in Maine coastal communities, reducing the need for single-use foodware.

The Maine Marine Trades Association has partnered with Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, Maine Island Trail Association and Friends of Casco Bay to bring awareness to boaters about keeping Maine waters free of debris. #LoveMaineWaters