In Massachusetts, state Rep. Marjorie Decker set the stage by reminding us how important reducing plastic waste is for the health of future generations. To help fight against the plastic pollution crisis, she is sponsoring bills to expand the state’s bottle bill and ban polystyrene foam containers — commonly known as “Styrofoam.” Massachusetts has also introduced a bill to ban single-use plastic bags.
Maryland followed, having passed the first statewide polystyrene foam ban two years ago. During the rally, Del. Sara Love discussed a new and growing problem of plastic waste being converted to fossil fuels, often referred to as “chemical recycling.” Though the false solution has been promoted by the plastic industry, Maryland is working to prevent the issue through a first-in-the-nation bill to ban the polluting practice.
Next up in the road trip was Pennsylvania, where the state has preempted municipalities and local governments from instituting their own single-use plastic products bans. Rep. Dianne Herrin attended the rally and discussed legislation she introduced to end this preemption law because “we need to give local communities the authority they deserve and need to make their own decisions when it comes to protecting their constituents and communities from environmental harm.”
Across the country in California, State Sen. Ben Allen spoke to the importance of producer responsibility, to shift the burden of waste management from individuals and communities to manufacturers with the power and ability to redesign their products to be more reusable and recyclable. The Golden state has already passed a statewide ban on plastic shopping bags, has made plastic straws available upon request only and is now considering legislation requiring truthfully labeled packaging and promoting a reusable beer bottle system.
To the North, Oregon, like California, has banned plastic bags and made plastic straws available by request only. During our rally, State Rep. Janeen Sollman stepped away from a House floor discussion to stress the importance of holding producers responsible for the plastic pollution their products create, stating: “We need to eliminate over-production and consumption of plastics.”
Washington, the final state on our tour, featured state Sen. Mona Das discussing a recently passed and comprehensive bill to target plastic pollution in her state. The bill phases out “Styrofoam” food containers, packing peanuts, and coolers, while also requiring most beverage containers to be made of at least 50 percent recycled material by 2031. The bill, having passed the state legislature, is now heading to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk where we expect it will be signed into law.
Throughout our rally, we witnessed a growing sense of comradery between like-minded legislators. As Rep. Decker pointed out, “no state is an island and we all need to work together.” Over half the states in our nation have introduced hundreds of bills to combat various aspects of the issue, including single-use plastic product bans, bottle bills, recycled content requirements, producer responsibility programs and limits on chemical recycling.
Drawing from those examples, lawmakers have introduced a comprehensive bill at the federal level. United States Rep. Alan Lowenthal, alongside Sen. Jeff Merkley, recently introduced the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act. Speaking to members of U.S. PIRG and Environment America, Rep. Lowenthal stressed that the Act “incorporates best practices and common sense policies and is a roadmap to meaningfully tackle the plastic waste crisis.”
We need laws to make real, lasting change. Now is the time to show your support for plastic reduction policies by calling on your elected officials while legislatures are still in session. Together, we can protect our environment, communities, and families by moving beyond plastic.
