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Home » Issues » Polling (ENVIRONMENT -- WATER -- CORAL REEFS)

Coral reefs

The world dumps 8 million metric tons of plastics into the oceans each year, and it is estimated 150 million metric tons of plastic now circulate in this ecosystem. Most plastics take 400 years to degrade. By 2050, ocean plastic will outweigh all of the ocean’s fish. This debris has formed five giant garbage patches around the world. The largest is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which contains an estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of trash and covers an area twice the size of Texas. Ocean trash can be broken down into smaller pieces of microplastic by sun exposure and wave action - after which it can find its way into the food chain. China and Indonesia together account for one-third of all ocean plastic pollution, and 80% of this trash comes from just 20 countries, including the U.S.

Pending Legislation: S.984 - Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021
Sponsor: Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR)
Status: Senate Committee on Finance
Chair: Sen. Ron Wyden (OR)

I oppose reforming current ocean plastics pollution policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Leader Charles Schumer (NY).
I support requiring producers of packaging, containers, and food-service products to design, manage, and finance waste and recycling programs by:

1.) Launching a nationwide beverage container refund program to bolster recycling rates.

2.) Banning certain single-use plastic products and carryout bags that are not recyclable.

3.) Establishing minimum recycled content requirements for beverage containers, packaging, and food-service products

4.) Prohibiting plastic waste from being shipped to developing countries.

5.) Conducting a comprehensive study on the environment and cumulative public health impacts of incinerators and plastic chemical recycling facilities.

6.) Establishing a temporary pause on permitting new and expanded plastic production facilities while the EPA creates and, as necessary, updates regulations on plastic production facilities to protect communities from direct and cumulative impacts on public health.

And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Sen. Ron Wyden (OR) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

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Poll Opening Date

December 6, 2021

Poll Closing Date

December 12, 2021

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