For Immediate Release: November 10, 2025
Media Contacts: Joanie Steinhaus, Turtle Island Restoration Network, joanie@seaturtles.org / (512) 417-7741
Dan Lê, San Antonio Bay Waterkeeper, dan@sanantoniobaywaterkeeper.org / (281) 891-3550
Texas Hosts “The People’s Microplastic Conference: From Impact to Action”
Leading Scientists, Advocates and Filmmakers Gather at
First-of-its-kind Conference to Tackle Plastic Pollution at its Source
PORT O’CONNOR, TEXAS — Plastic pollution isn’t just washing up on our beaches and watershed, it’s showing up in animals and humanity. As new research reveals alarming levels of microplastics in Texas waterways and marine life, Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN) and coalition partners are convening the People’s Microplastics Conference: From Impact to Action on November 14 & 15, 2025, in Port O’Connor, Texas.
This free, two-day event brings together Texas-based scientists, coastal advocates, educators and filmmakers to examine how microscopic plastic pollutants are affecting our ecosystems and communities health, and what can be done to stop the negative impact. According to the International Plastic Pellet Count Report, Texas is the leading state in nurdles production and pollution.
Over the last seven years, TIRN has collected microplastics and nurdles samples from different locations along Galveston Island. TIRN’s Ocean Program Director, Joanie Steinhaus shared, “every nurdle we pick up on the beach represents an opportunity for Texas to make a positive impact on our oceans and watersheds. During last weekend’s statewide Nurdle Hunt, volunteers collected 1,260 plastic pellets from local Galveston beaches — clear proof that plastic pollution is constant and widespread.”
With petrochemical expansion and plastic production surging along the Gulf Coast, organizers say now is the time for Texas to lead. The People’s Microplastics Conference is more than a meeting of the minds – it’s a call to action. Together, we can bridge the gap between research and real-world change, empowering communities to defend the health of our oceans, wildlife and future generations.
Day 1: Tiny Pollutants, Big Impact – The first day will feature presentations from leading researchers and environmental experts examining how microplastics move through our oceans, rivers and food systems. Explore what new studies reveal about their effects on ecosystems, wildlife and human health. Participants will also experience a special screening of the award-winning documentary Plastic People, a powerful investigation into how plastic pollution has infiltrated nearly every corner of our planet and even our own bodies.
Day 2: Grassroots Action – The second day focuses on community-led solutions. Workshops will equip participants with practical tools to reduce microplastic exposure and push for stronger protections against industrial pollution from petrochemical plants. The conference will close with a private screening of HELLCAT, an acclaimed new documentary by filmmaker Fax Bahr. The film follows one woman’s decades-long fight against a petrochemical giant – a gripping story of courage, corruption and the quest for environmental justice.
When: November 14-15, 2025
Where: Port O’Connor Community Center, 3674 Adams Ave, Port O’Connor, TX 77982
What: Free event and open to the public, but space is limited – please register!
For more information on the event: visit www.microplasticsconference.org,
San Antonio Bay Waterkeeper: visit www.sanantoniobaywaterkeeper.org.
Turtle Island Restoration Network: visit www.seaturtles.org,
Turtle Island Restoration Network is a global ocean conservation nonprofit with offices in California and Texas, whose mission is to inspire and mobilize people around the world to protect marine biodiversity, the oceans and watersheds that sustain all life on Earth.
