Support California Assembly Bill 2058 (Plastic bags)
No commentsPlastic marine debris is a huge problem that affects the coastal and marine ecosystems in California and across the world. Since plastics do not biodegrade, but instead break down into increasingly smaller pieces over time, this debris persists in the environment for hundreds of years: choking our waterways, dispelling harmful toxins, and harming marine life through ingestion or entanglement.
Californians use 600 plastic bags per second–the vast majority of which are not recycled. Inevitably, these bags are either landfilled, where they pose problems in waste degradation and leachate retention, or they make their way to our waterways, which flow to the ocean. Surfrider Foundation’s interest in the ban of plastic bags stems from our mission to protect ocean ecosystems and ensure water quality for the benefit of public health and the marine environment.
Key Points
Plastic bags (which resemble jellyfish or sponges) are mistaken for food or prey by seabirds, marine mammals, fish, and sea turtles.
More then 1 million seabirds, 100,000 marine mammals, and countless fish die annually through ingestion of and entanglement in marine debris, including plastic bags.
Each year, the State of California spends approximately $25 million to landfill discarded plastic bags.
The City of San Francisco alone, estimates dealing with plastic bag litter costs about 17 cents per bag, totaling $8.5 million annually.
The California Ocean Protection Council’s resolution on marine debris identifies reduction of single-use plastic convenience items, such as plastic bags, as a priority in combating marine debris.
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 at 3:28 pm and is filed under It's Funky. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
