By Nancy Goucher, Knowledge Mobilization Specialist, The Water Institute

On May 30, the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) hosted a Lunch and Learn event with members of the Microplastics Fingerprinting project, a project supported by the Water Institute. Held at the GRCA headquarters in Cambridge, the event was attended by approximately 20 GRCA members, including staff focused on water infrastructure, source water protection, water quality, and conservation services. This event was organized by Nancy Goucher as part of the project’s knowledge mobilization strategy.

Speakers included:

Philippe Van Cappellen:
Professor Van Cappellen provided an overview of the Microplastics Fingerprinting project, noting that microplastics research is still in its early stages, which complicates policy development. The absence of standard procedures for microplastic extraction, sampling, and reporting makes it difficult to compare results across studies. One of the project's goals is to characterize the distribution of microplastic pollution within the Grand River watershed.

Meredith Watson (Master’s student):
Watson presented her findings on microplastic abundance in two reservoir systems in the Grand River watershed—Belwood and Conestogo lakes. Initial results indicate that while microplastics are present in these rural reservoirs, they are not as abundant as in urban stormwater ponds. Belwood and Conestogo lakes do not appear to be "hotspots," but further research is needed to assess levels in water bodies downstream of urban areas.

Amir Reshadi (PhD student):
Reshadi shared his research on microplastic abundance in five stormwater ponds in Kitchener. His findings reveal that stormwater ponds draining industrial and commercial areas show higher rates of microplastic accumulation compared to those draining residential areas. Additionally, the design of stormwater ponds significantly influences their effectiveness in capturing and retaining microplastic particles.

Nancy Goucher (Water Institute staff):
Goucher outlined the knowledge mobilization strategy for the Microplastics Fingerprinting project, highlighting the team’s engagement in the science-policy dialogue on plastics. This includes participating in international negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty. Goucher provided an overview of the treaty process, its current status, and its goals.

The Water Institute extends thanks to the GRCA for hosting this informative Lunch and Learn event. You can learn more about the Microplastics Fingerprinting project by subscribing to the project’s newsletter.