North Bay Village Protecting Biscayne Bay with Stormwater BMPs - Stormwater Filters

On February 15, 2024, reporter Chelsea Ambriz from NBC 6 South Florida featured North Bay Village's proactive measures to safeguard Biscayne Bay through the deployment of SOP Technologies Stormwater Inlet Screens/Filters and QR Code Storm Drain Markers, showcasing their commitment to environmental conservation.

Article link: Miami-based company designs new way to tackle pollution in North Bay Village

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/miami-based-company-designs-new-way-to-tackle-pollution-in-north-bay-village/3234776/

The patented Stormwater Filters are strategically being installed all over North Bay Village to effectively manage stormwater runoff. These innovative filters are accompanied by patented QR Code Storm Drain Markers positioned next to each screen. This thoughtful addition enables community members to conveniently capture and upload images of any issues they encounter, facilitating seamless communication with the Public Works department.

Biscayne Bay has faced persistent challenges related to stormwater pollution and water quality over the years. The situation escalated in August 2020 when the bay encountered a significant fish kill incident, prompting local residents to rally together in a demonstration of solidarity for protecting the Bay. This led to the organization of the March for the Bay in North Bay Village, aiming to raise awareness and promote conservation efforts. Subsequently, the village has implemented measures to tackle stormwater runoff with SOP Technologies, aiming to mitigate the harmful effects of plastics, litter, phosphorus, and nitrogen on the bay ecosystem.

City of Laurel, MD Implementing QR Code Storm Drain Markers and Stormwater Inlet Filters

The City of Laurel, MD Public Works Department is implementing SOP Technologies’ Stormwater Filters and QR Code Storm Drain Markers city-wide. At the time of the video below (video by the City of Laurel), the city has had over 100 filters installed for over a year in various areas of the city.

This infrastructure improvement project is helping the city to keep debris and litter out of local rivers and Chesapeake Bay. For this project, SOP Technologies conducted 3D scans and measurements of existing infrastructure, technical designs and custom manufacturing in order to retrofit to existing storm drains and catch basins. Also, the website for the QR Code Storm Drain Markers has been upgraded with an online map for maintenance personnel to keep track of community reports and activities.

In the video below, the Public Works Department and Mayor are explaining how these stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) are helping the city to prevent floods, prevent stormwater pollution, improve storm drain maintenance, and enhance community engagement.

Learn more about stormwater filters

Learn more about QR Code Storm Drain Markers

QR Code Storm Drain Markers - SOP Technologies

Florida and Maryland residents are using SOP Technologies Patent Pending QR Code Storm Drain Markers to easily upload photos and videos to report on stormwater pollution and illicit dumping. These reports help to protect Biscayne Bay, Chesapeake Bay and other waterways.

SOP Technologies Pat. Pending QR Code Storm Drain Markers.

Video Music: Fumblerooski Musician: LAB HITS-Felix Manzi

With the community reports, Public Works and Solid Waste departments identify pollution hotspots and can take quick action. Each QR Code is geotagged so city staff and contractors know where to go when someone uploads a photo.

Storm drain markers also help with public education and outreach efforts, which are requirements under MS4 NPDES permits. To order QR Code Storm Drain Markers, please contact us.

Some groups bringing awareness to stormwater pollution include:

Send It 4 The Sea

Debris Free Oceans

Clean Miami Beach

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Anacostia Watershed Society

The Stormwater Training Center

Capturing Plastic Pellets, Nurdles at Plastics Manufacturing Facility

To capture plastic pellets, also known as nurdles, SOP Technologies designed and implemented customized stormwater filters for a plastic manufacturing facility. This prevents the nurdles from leaving the facility and discharging to local waterways. Contact SOP Technologies for custom engineering solutions.

SOP Technologies Customized Screens

VIDEO

Video transcript

Plastic pellets, also called "nurdles", are used to manufacture the products we use everyday, but when they escape into the natural environment, they have devastating consequences. One plastics manufacturer didn’t want to allow their plastic pellets to escape their facility, so they contacted SOP Technologies.

In addition to ensuring plastics don’t leave the facility, the plant wanted to improve water drainage, prevent flooding during rain events, and reduce maintenance costs. SOP Technologies designed and implemented a modular and highly customizable set of stormwater screens. These were then placed at the various stormwater outfalls around the facility.

The new screens provide a greater area for water flow, a multi-step water filtration process, and reduce the maintenance frequency of stormwater systems. The facility has taken an important step to Stop Ocean Pollution.

Links to ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Nurdle Patrol : Nurdle Patrol is a citizen science project run by the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (Reserve) at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas. The Reserve brings together scientists, landowners, policy-makers, and the public to ensure that coastal management decisions benefit flora and fauna, water quality, and people.

This page from the University of Texas at Austin includes Microplastic & Nurdle Literature.

CBS This Morning - Plastic pellets known as nurdles are polluting our waterways https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTW8OcmmR8M

Mongabay - Plastic pellet pollution can end through coordinated efforts, report shows https://news.mongabay.com/2022/12/plastic-pellet-pollution-can-end-through-coordinated-efforts-report-shows/

Plastic Soup Foundation - Nieuwsuur TV item (English subtitles) https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/nurdles/

The Great Nurdle Hunt https://www.nurdlehunt.org.uk/the-problem.html

NOAA Ocean Service https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html

Video Music by Coma-Media from Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/users/coma-media-24399569/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=12099