According to plasticoceans.org, 50% of all plastic produced are for single use items. That is 380 million tons of plastic that will only be used once before disposal. The production of plastics is not slowing down. In fact, according to the 2019 World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) Solving Plastic Pollution Through Accountability report:

Since 2000, the plastics industry has produced as much plastic as all the preceding years combined. The production of virgin plastic has increased 200-fold since 1950, and has grown at a rate of 4 per cent a year since 2000. In 2016, the most recent year for which data is available, production reached 396 million metric tons. That is equivalent to 53 kilograms of plastic for each person on the planet.

Attempts to recycle plastics are not successful. In fact, less than 9% of plastics produced get recycled (plasticoceans.org). The remaining plastics end up as pollution in our water, land, and even air from incineration. The 2019 WWF report states, “Wildlife entanglement has been recorded in over 270 different animal species, including mammals, reptiles, birds and fish. Entanglement in plastic debris often leads to acute and chronic injury or the death of affected animals.” Additionally, “Records have documented more than 240 different animal species ingesting plastic. These animals are often unable to pass the plastic through their digestive systems, resulting in internal abrasions, digestive blockages, and death.” But plastic pollution is not just hurting wildlife; it is affecting humans too:

Humans can ingest plastic by consuming foods contaminated with micro and nano-plastics. This is most likely to occur via seafood, particularly shellfish, mussels and oysters. There are many other sources of contamination. A recent study of bottled water found microplastic contamination in 93 per cent of bottles, sourced from 11 different brands across nine countries. (2019 WWF Report)

There is also an economic impact of this unchecked cycle of plastic production and disposal; The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates the economic impact of plastic pollution on oceans at $8 billion USD per year. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) estimated the cost of litter damage to commercial shipping at $297 million USD per year. 500 million plastic straws are thrown away by the US and UK daily1. Yes, you read that right, daily! Worldwide, over 1 trillion single-use plastic bags are discarded annually1. The US throws away 40 billion plastic utensils every year1. I believe this small sample of available data on the production, disposal, and disastrous effects of plastic on our environment makes clear that plastic production and disposal of plastics is a huge problem. But how do we solve this problem?

According to the WWF 2019 report, “Phasing out single-use plastics, those that have a one-year lifespan, has the potential to lower plastic demand by up to 40 per cent by 2030.” They also state, “Phasing out single-use plastic usage lessens the plastic burden placed on the waste system and is estimated to lower plastic waste generation to 188 million metric tons, a 57 per cent reduction from the business as usual scenario.” So, the solution is actually pretty simple, but cannot be accomplished without help from our elected representatives. The plastic industry has no plans to slow down their production of plastics polluting our air, waters, lands, and bodies. We, the people, must draw the line in the sand.

What we are asking is simple: enact legislation that bans the use of single-use plastics bags and straws. Require that eating establishments not provide disposable plastic utensils unless requested by the diner and provide incentives for businesses that switch to reusable and sustainable cutlery. Eight states and multiple local jurisdictions have already banned the use of single-use plastic bags2. Nine states, including Nevada, have partial bans on plastic straws3, but we can do more. These disposable items can easily be replaced with compostable and recyclable paper bags and straws, and new technology is helping to create single-use cutlery that is less harmful to the planet. Represent your constituents and the planet and enact this legislation. While more is still needed to reduce the use of harmful plastics, enacting these bans is a simple step in the right direction.

Thank you.

Endnotes

1. https://3x168fxvas-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/9-Tips-Infographic_020721.png
2. https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/uncategorized/eight-states-ban-plastic-bags-but-more-prohibit-local-bans/#:~:text=Eight%20states%E2%80%94California%2C%20Connecticut%2C,in%20supermarkets%20and%20other%20businesses
3. https://www.greenmatters.com/p/where-are-plastic-straws-banned#:~:text=Similarly%2C%20in%20Portland%2C%20Oregon%2C,per%20Orbitz'%202019%20interactive%20map

Other cited sources

https://plasticoceans.org/

2019. Solving Plastic Pollution Through Accountability. World Wildlife Foundation (WWF). Available at: https://plasticoceans.org/plastic-pollution-research-papers/