Mon, Jun 30 2025

SFEI Scientist Interviewed on Microplastics for Maven's Notebook

Senior scientist Ezra Miller was interviewed in Maven's Notebook about SFEI's groundbreaking microplastics work. Miller discussed where microplastics in San Francisco Bay come from, the biggest unsolved questions our scientists are working on, and why focusing on sources is the best way to prevent microplastic pollution in the Bay.

Tue, May 6 2025

"Unique as Snowflakes": Understanding Tire Particles

Techniques to isolate and identify tire particles will pave the way for better microplastic pollution research and management.

Sun, Oct 15 2023

Vehicle Tires Threaten Water Quality

Update: On October 1, 2023: California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) 6PPD regulations became effective, making it the first government in the world to regulate the chemical content of vehicle tires to protect salmon. DTSC is requiring tire manufacturers to identify alternatives to the tire preservative that is the source of the chemical toxic to coho salmon.

Wed, Nov 3 2021

A Synthesis of Microplastic Sources and Pathways to Urban Runoff

What do clothes dryers and car tires have in common?

Tue, Nov 10 2020 - Fri, Mar 5 2021

Big problem, small size: Improving methods in microplastics research

When it comes to plastic pollution, that candy wrapper half buried in the dirt is only the tip of the iceberg. Plastic bags, cigarette butts, and bottle caps are not just an eyesore, but over time they break down in the environment, creating small pieces of debris known as microplastics.

Fri, Oct 4 2019

The Guardian publishes on article on SFEI's microplastics study, further extending the report's reach

Maanvi Singh from the US edition of the Guardian, based in the UK, writes, “It was basically everywhere we looked,” said Rebecca Sutton, an environmental scientist at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, a local institution that led the three-year, $1.1m research effort.

Fri, Oct 4 2019

Wired Magazine: A new report shows an astounding amount of microplastics, largely from car tires, are tainting the watershed

Matt Simon from Wired Magazine writes:

Thu, Oct 3 2019

Groundbreaking SFEI and 5 Gyres microplastics study featured in multiple media outlets

Concurrent with a sold-out symposium on Oct 2nd, media outlets, including the Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, and Los Angeles Times, have released the articles relating the alarming findings regarding the pervasive presence of microplastics in our surface waters.

Wed, Oct 2 2019

San Jose Mercury News highlights the findings of an SFEI microplastics report

Paul Rogers released an article in the San Jose Mercury News regarding this microplastics study, sharing its findings with the public.

Wed, Oct 2 2019

In LA Times: The SF Bay Microplastics study called "the most comprehensive study to date on microplastics in California."

Rosanna Xia with the LA Times relates some important findings from the new microplastics study, released today by SFEI and 5 Gyres:

Wed, Oct 2 2019

SF Chronicle: Huge amounts of plastic, much of it from car tires, washing into SF Bay, SFEI study finds

The San Francisco Chronicle highlighted some of the surprising and alarming findings produced by the Microplastics project:

Fri, Mar 9 2018

SFEI Science at International Marine Debris Conference (March 12-16)

SFEI science will feature prominently at the Sixth International Marine Debris Conference in San Diego next week:

Tue, Feb 20 2018

These scientists want you to rethink how you use plastics: SFEI and 5 Gyres issue a new video

The short (3-min) video summarizes the goals of the SF Bay Microplastics Project, which aims to better understanding the di

Fri, Nov 24 2017

Local News: Scientists launch major study of microplastics pollution in San Francisco Bay

SFEI and The 5 Gyres Institute have launched an ambitious two-year research project to monitor San Francisco Bay for pollution in the form of tiny particles of plastic pollution, reports ABC7 News.

Thu, Sep 21 2017

Hunting for Plastic in California’s Protected Ocean Waters

Rebecca Sutton, Meg Sedlak, and Diana Lin of SFEI, in partnership with Carolynn Box of 5 Gyres, conducted ocean water sampling associated with an ambitious project. The project is focused on determining the characteristics and fate of microplastics in the Bay and adjacent ocean waters. KQED reporter Lindsey Hoshaw published a story covering the team's activities along the California coast. After determinng that the Bay has greater than expected microplastic pollution, the science team, as reported by Hoshaw's story, is conducting further ground-breaking research.

Wed, Sep 13 2017

East Bay Express Insert for Coastal Cleanup Day

Just in time for California Coastal Cleanup Day, an insert in today’s East Bay Express provides readers with ways to help protect San Francisco Bay.

Thu, Feb 23 2017

New Microplastic Pollution Study to Launch in San Francisco Bay and Adjacent Ocean Waters

A two-year investigation on microplastic and nanoplastic pollution in San Francisco Bay and the surrounding ocean will launch this month, led by two research centers, the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the 5 Gyres Institute.

Wed, Dec 16 2015

Estuary News features RMP study on microplastic pollution

December's issue of Estuary News features an article, "Unhealthy Fiber in Bay Diet," that highlights the surprising result of a preliminary study of Bay microplastic pollution, which showed that San Francisco Bay has higher levels of microplastic than other major urban waterbodies in th

Tue, Nov 17 2015

Dr. Rebecca Sutton interviewed on KGO-TV about the potential impact of synthetic clothing on San Francisco Bay

In a story called "Synthetic Clothes May Be Polluting San Francisco Bay," KGO-TV's Dan Ashley interviews SFEI's Rebecca Sutton, UC Davis professor Susan Williams, and Jim Erin from the San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility about the proliferation of synthetic fibers in the Bay. Such fibers may come from fleece jackets and other clothing produced from artifical fabrics.