Recycling Monofilament Line to Make a Difference for Our Wildlife

NORTH CAROLINA BIG SWEEP STATEWIDE HEADQUARTERSPO Box 126, Zebulon, NC 27597-0126 Email judy.bolin@ncbigsweep.org; Phone (919) 269-9380; Fax (919) 269-9382; Website www.ncbigsweep.org

Quick Background

Who is North Carolina Big Sweep?

Why focus on monofilament line?

Who is North Carolina Big Sweep?

Originally founded in 1987 as Beach Sweep by State employees to retrieve unsightly, harmful litter along NC coastline

1989 expanded inland, renamed Big Sweep, becoming the nation’s first statewide waterway litter cleanup

2002 changed mission from litter-free waters to litter-free environment because litter travels from land to our waterways

Why focus on monofilament line recycling?

1. Marina participation brings positive publicity to them.

2. Recycling monofilament line gives it a second life as a fishing tackle box (for example).

3. Litter is ugly and lasts a long time in our environment. Monofilament line lasts up to 600 years in our environment.

4. It fouls boat motors, stranding boaters.

5. It can be deadly to wildlife.

ICC Global Animal Entanglement History

International Coastal Cleanup 27 Years of Entangled Wildlife Found, 1986-2012

Debris Type Amphibians Birds Corals and Sponges Fish Invertebrates Mammals Reptiles Total Debris Items

Beverage Bottles 5 8 0 30 78 14 3 138Beverage Cans 1 2 0 25 25 1 0 54Crab, Lobster, & Fish Traps 1 13 1 50 113 4 14 196Fishing Hooks 2 83 0 59 10 4 6 164Fishing Line 9 786 16 629 266 52 59 1817Fishing Nets 3 164 1 276 224 30 35 733Plastic Bags 14 116 0 160 114 36 27 467Ribbon/ String 0 103 0 38 33 9 2 185Rope 4 170 1 118 61 81 26 4616-Pack Holders 2 70 0 52 22 5 5 156Plastic Straps 2 30 0 34 12 5 5 88Wire 1 36 1 16 14 9 6 83Other Debris 1 29 1 10 23 3 7 74Total 45 1610 21 1497 995 253 195 4616

Source: Ocean Conservancy

What’s Involved?1. Obtain commitments from marinas THEY MUST COMMIT TO REGULARLY MAINTAINING BINS, RECYCLING THE MONOFILAMENT LINE COLLECTED, KEEPING RECORDS ON THE AMOUNT RECYCLED AND FORWARDING THAT DATA TO YOU, ACTING AS A SPOKESPERSON FOR MONOFILAMENT LINE RECYCLING

2. Produce and install 4” monofilament line recycling containers KUDOS TO FLORIDA FOR INITIAL CREATION OF THESE CONTAINERS!

3. Don’t forget public awareness! Encourage fishermen to recycle the monofilament fishing line. Ribbon cuttings still draws attention. Post on Facebook. Distribute press releases to local print media. Mention it on your website.

4. Obtain data from the marinas on how much monofilament line was recycled at each site

The “Nuts and Bolts” of the Project

Assembling Monofilament Line Recycling Containers

1. 4” PVC pipe (10 ft. length cut into 3 or 4 pieces) 2. Put PVC glue on both 4” PVC elbow and pipe and put them

together QUICKLY. It dries fast! 3. Put PVC glue on 4” PVC female threaded adapter and the

other end of the pipe and put them together QUICKLY. 4. Screw 4” PVC threaded male plug into the 4” PVC female

adapter. DON’T use glue on this step! 5. Position instruction label on the pipe where it is not in the

way of straps used to attach it to a post. (See photo.)

Marina’s Contact for Recycling Monofilament Line:BERKLEY RECYCLING COLLECTION CENTER

1900 18th Street, Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360-1099Phone: (713) 336-5183 or 1-800-Berkely

Determining Your Success1. Number of participating marinas (e.g. target: 15, actual: 15)

2. Amount recycled (e.g. target: each marina collect at least one box of monofilament line)

3. Number of newspaper articles (e.g. target: minimum one per county, actual: 3 of 6 counties had NP articles; TV coverage in all 6 counties)

4. Number of Facebook posts (e.g. target: minimum 15, actual: 15)

5. Number of people reached (e.g. target: 50,000, actual: 158,167)

Photos of Some Participating Marinas in NC Big Sweep Project

Parti

cipa

ting

Mar

inas

Southport Marina

Washington Waterfront Docks Northwest Creek

Marina

Seapath Yacht Club Deaton Yacht Service& Sales

Radio Island Marina Club

Town Creek Marina

Cape Fear Marina Duke University Marine Laboratory

Masonboro Yacht Club & Marina

New Bern Grand Marina

Grace Harbor/River Dunes

Notable Quotes“Our livelihood, our homes, everything depends on the water. We like to keep our river clean.” Tricia Bennett, Cape Fear Marina president

“We don’t like litter in the park.”

Teresa Hamilton, City of Washington, NC, senior adminstrative support specialist

“It’s a good thing for the marine industry to do. We’re glad to be a part of it.”

Chris Brock, Seapath Yacht Club dockmaster

“We’re green. We want to recycle everything.” Paul Schornak, Northwest Creek Marina dockmaster

“We’re doing this because we want to protect wildlife. We’re glad to be a part of it.” Sharon Johnson Olde Towne Yacht Club manager

“It’s the best thing for our earth to recycle fishing line. I recycle everything at home.” Jim Sproul, Radio Island Marina Club service coordinator

“Recycling fishing line keeps people from throwing it in the water.”

David Christopher, Masonboro Yacht Club & Marina manager

NORTH CAROLINA BIG SWEEP statewide headquarters:142 East Vance Street, PO Box 126, Zebulon, NC 27597-0126 Website: www.ncbigsweep.orgFacebook: North Carolina Big Sweep

Big Sweep Contact: Judy BolinEmail: judy.bolin@ncbigsweep.org Phone: (919) 269-9380 Fax: (919) 269-9382

BERKLEY RECYCLING COLLECTION CENTER1900 18th Street, Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360-1099Phone: (713) 336-5183 or 1-800-Berkely

Contact Info: