An environmental research project on microplastics in Southland waterways has gained funding from the Lottery Environment and Heritage Committee. 

The committee awarded $21,657 to the project run by the Southern Institute of Technology's School of Environmental Management. 

It aims to use 'citizen science' to monitor microplastic pollution in the region, thereby encouraging public participation.

Part of the funding will go towards assembling sampling kits which will be left at different schools around the region.

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Lead researcher Dr Christine Liang says: "The ultimate goal is for the 'Micro-Investigators' programme to be self-sustaining, as this is the hallmark of a good citizen science project.

"The sampling kits are the first step in achieving this and will allow the schools to collect microplastics data on their own."

Since the project was launched in September, Dr Liang says there has been "tons" of community engagement. 

"We have been busy establishing partnerships with Invercargill schools and community groups to run our citizen science programme Micro-Investigators with primary school students."

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They've worked with Southland Community Nursery and Pūtaiao Tamariki and are collaborating with Environment Southland’s Enviroschools facilitators, who've helped connect with schools around Southland.

"The collaboration is great for the data as well because now we can start to fill in the geographical gaps around the region, as well as compare the microplastics concentrations from some of our rural streams compared to our city streams.

"The more schools and students involved in the mahi, the clearer the picture of the state of microplastics in our local waterways." 

Dr Liang wants community groups to get involved as well, and has already been in touch with Invercargill Rotary Club. 

"Although it is still early days in the discussion, it was mentioned that since the Rotary organisation is an international initiative, there could be a possibility of seeking funding to expand the project even further, beyond NZ."

Dr Christine Liang in the lab. Photo: SIT

The funding supports collaborative research between SIT, Martin Kean, at Otago Polytechnic, and Dr Martinez at NorthTec, who researches macroplastic pollution in waterways.

So there's the potential to expand the project into the North Island. 

Dr Liang says they are also in the process of setting up a website hub in collaboration with WasteNet Southland and Otago Polytechnic School of Design, for schools and citizen scientists to view their microplastics data, allowing the comparison of results across rivers and monitoring the state of microplastics long-term.

A Micro-Investigators Hui will be held next month in Invercargill.

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Students who have collected data for the Micro-Investigators project will be presenting their findings to city councillors and calling for action to reduce plastic pollution in southern waterways.

Dr Liang says the project aims to educational, social and environmental benefits, raising awareness of the community's capacity to create change.  

"The best ways to reduce microplastics are to stop it at the source.

"Moving away from a single-use plastic lifestyle is paramount: we can make simple swaps as an individual, like having a reusable coffee cup, or metal straws instead of using disposable ones.

"We can also encourage decision-makers to do things like investing in good waste management and recycling, promoting a circular economy where plastic is re-used over and over again."