“throwaway living” 1955 plastics: what, why, where
TRANSCRIPT
“THROWAWAY LIVING”
1955
Plastics: What, Why, Where
What’s Made of Plastic?
INDIA 4.4 LBS (2 kg)
EUROPE 132 LBS (60 kg)
U.S. 176 LBS (80 kg)
Annual Plastic Use per Person
Bioplastics are not the answer.•Require INDUSTRIAL COMPOSTING to biodegrade(140° and fed microbes)
•Cannot contaminate ‘regular’ plastics recycling if mixed in•“Renewable source material;” but often genetically-modified and shipped long distances.
•Do not biodegrade in water or when
littered, acts like
‘regular’ plastics
and photodegrades.
BIODEGRADEABLE PLASTICS
THERE IS NO ‘AWAY’, it all goes somewhere.
(California Integrated Waste Management Board, (California Integrated Waste Management Board, ““Plastics White PaperPlastics White Paper””
Landfill 50%
Recycled
Durable Goods 20%
Unaccounted for 25%
Where does our plastic go?
The “missing” 25%
Rick LoomisLos Angeles Times
LosAngeles River
Plastics at Sea
5 Gyres: Where Plastic Accumulates
Thousands of marine mammals and sea birds die every year after ingesting or being tangled in plastic marine litter.
All of this debris on the right (more than a half-pound of plastic) was removed from the stomach of an
albatross on remote Midway Island in Hawaii
Plastic particles attract chemicals in the ocean
This pellet could have up to
1 million times the chemical
concentration than the water around it
Scripps Institute estimates that fish off the West Coast ofThe United States ingest 12,000 TONS of plastic per year.
This Rainbow Runner had 17 pieces of plastic in its stomach.
Support Policy ReductionsTen states have a bottle recycling bill and 100+ cities have a Plastic bag ban or fee-based ordinance for checkout bags.
= decreased litter and increased recycling
Support Policy Reductions2013/14 California Statewide Legislation:
Three Plastic Checkout Bag Bills – enviro community seems to be rallying around SB 405
SB 529 (Leno) Fast Food Packaging, which would move fast food chains away from foamed polystyrene and
other nonrecyclable/noncompostable plastics,
AB 521 could be one of the first Extended Producer Responsibility bills enacted to help prevent plastic
pollution.
AB 1142 is proposed to ban smoking at state parks.STAY TUNED
1: Support local bag bans andstatewide legislation
2: Help documentPlastic pollution
3: Get Involved w/RAP Committee
Bill [email protected]