Photos by our friends at Texas Sea Grant. To read about the Symposium, check out Galveston Daily News’ article here.
The 8th Annual Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium was held on March 25, 2026, at Texas A&M University in Galveston, TX. This event brings together scientists, researchers, and advocates to explore Texas’s latest studies on plastic pollution. Beyond sharing the latest research, the symposium aims to inspire action and raise awareness about the profound impacts of plastics on our environment.
Our Gulf Environmental Program Coordinator, Brittany McWhorter presented on our long-term (since 2017) citizen science microplastic project which empowers communities working to protect Galveston Bay and the Gulf from this tiny pollutant. We have collected sand and water samples at six locations, both bay and Gulf side of the island and processed them to identify microplastics and microfibers. In collaboration with the University of Houston, Clear Lake Environmental Health Institute, the results from a three-year study have been published and this data demonstrates the need to address this issue impacting both wildlife and human health.
Ocean Program Director, Joanie Steinhaus joined a panel to inform participants on pre-production plastics which includes nurdles, powder and flakes. The panel spoke on community engagement, public awareness and the need for better regulations. Pre-production plastics are lost at every stage of the supply chain and over 40 million pellets have been documented in the environment in the last decade. Their current effort focuses on regulations in the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s surface water quality standards which will be published in 2027. Learn more about our work in the Gulf of Mexico here.
