A FORMER scientist and teacher is paddling a canoe along the Leeds-Liverpool canal from Skipton to Merseyside as part of a research exercise into measuring plastic particles in inland waterways.

Deborah Maw, 61, who has a home in Burton-in-Lonsdale, changed her career to art later in life teaching environmental awareness through art to young people.

Last August she took part in a research trip, sailing around the UK sampling for micro plastics which was documented as A Plastics Voyage on Sky TV.

"We're still waiting on the results from the dozens of samples we collected on the trip. However, what is clear - and the reason why it's taking so long to get the results - is that there are far more micro plastics in our samples than anyone would have predicted.

"I've been wondering how I can continue this work and came up with the idea of canoeing our inland waterways to both litter pick and collect water samples to analyse for micro plastics. A citizen science project.

"I have chosen inland waters because they are easily navigable by a novice like myself, but also because no one else is sampling the waters. Some major urban rivers have been sampled and all found to be full of micro plastics.

"The major contributor to micro plastics is the 'dust' from tyres, caused by the friction against the road. Then it's fibres from washing synthetic clothing, micro beads from cleaning products, and particles of plastics resulting from the breakdown of larger plastics.

"Plastics and micro plastics enter waterways from sewage outlets, storm drains, washed off fields and wind blown waste. Ultimately they all end up in the sea. About 80 per cent of ocean plastics come from land-based sources.

"I won Liverpool's Awesome Foundation grant for May, to buy a better canoe, laboratory grade filtering equipment and a lightweight tent. To win, I had to make my project local to Liverpool, so that has determined my first canal trip - down from Skipton to the Mersey on the Leeds Liverpool canal. I leave on July 15, arriving in Liverpool on July 25 to spend two days doing litter picking and outreach work.

"I had been going out most days canoeing my local canal, getting used to paddling and litter picking. I've been liaising with other micro plastic researchers, have written to Sir David Attenborough - and received a very supportive letter - and Sir Paul McCartney for endorsements and publicity, and Greenpeace and Tony Juniper (environmentalist, previously with Friends of the Earth).

"I also have a National Geographic grant to apply for to continue the work after Liverpool.

"Policy makers, manufacturers, waste disposal and recycling companies all need hard data to convince them that changes need to be made. Although it's obvious that plastic litter is a major issue, the data has to be collected.

"This is where my research comes in. There are universities etc doing similar research, however, they are hampered by the time it takes to apply for research grants, the subsequent need to publish and then working their way up the hierarchy of credible researchers.

"Heriot Watt have asked me to liaise on a micro plastic project they are proposing, but it will be September when they know if they have the money, and it's a four year project!"

Ms Maw is going to upload the results of her research to a worldwide app - The Marine Debris Tracker.