Title: P1251940860kgxaL
1COG Recycling Committee, Washington, DC, March
19, 2009Controlling Plastic and Paper Bag
Pollution
The Scope of the Problem
Brenda Platt Institute for Local
Self-Reliance Sustainable Plastics
Initiative Sustainable Biomaterials
Collaborative www.ilsr.org
2Plastic Woes
- Non-renewable (geological timeframes to produce
but consume in 1 to 10 years) - Health impacts (polymers differ)
- Generally nonbiodegradable with devastating
affects on ocean life - Demand and production skyrocketing
- Plastics industry supports more drilling
- Recycling and reuse low
- Plastics industry supports incineration
3Nonbiodegradable bioplastics coming
4Known Impacts on Marine Life
- 267 marine species entangled by or ingested
plastic - 86 of all sea turtle species
- 44 of all seabird species (over 80 species)
- 100,000 marine mammals die each year in the North
Pacific alone from entanglement
Source Captain Charles Moore, Agalita Marine
Research Foundation
56 times more plastic than plankton by mass
Source Captain Charles Moore, Agalita Marine
Research Foundation
6Source Captain Charles Moore, Agalita Marine
Research Foundation
7Plastic bags were found to be main culprit during
the 1988 and 1998 floods in Bangladesh
8Human Footprint
9Plastic Packaging Discarded
Thousands of tons
Source US EPA, 2007 data (http//www.epa.gov/epa
oswer/non-hw/muncpl/msw99.htm)
10Plastic Bags, Sacks Wraps Discarded
Thousands of tons
Source US EPA, 2007 data (http//www.epa.gov/epa
oswer/non-hw/muncpl/msw99.htm)
11Wasting Trend in U.S.
12Wasting connected to ghg
- 4.6 of global population
- Consume one-third of Earths timber and paper
- Generate 22 of global CO2 emissions
- Produce 30 of worlds waste
13The Wasteberg
- For every ton of municipal trash, 71 tons of
waste are produced during manufacturing, mining,
oil and gas exploration, agriculture, and coal
combustion.
14Upstream 71 x MSW Waste
15Alternate Path
16 17Keys to Waste Reduction Record-Setters
- Accept many materials
- Convenience (e.g., curbside, weekly pickup, bins)
- Compost
- Mandate recycling
- Institute pay-as-you-throw trash fees
- Target all sectors
- Augment curbside with drop-off
- Educate, educate, educate
- Market materials
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
18Institutional Framework
- Landfill bans
- Recycling goals and requirements
- Beverage container deposits
- Recycled-content laws
- Creative funding mechanisms
- Buy recycled programs
- Pay-as-you-throw trash fees
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
19Changing the rules in San Francisco
- 75 diversion goal by 2010 zero waste goal by
2020 - Bans polystyrene take-out containers
- Requires retail bags to be compostable plastic,
recyclable paper, or reusable - Bans use of city funds to purchase single-serving
bottled water - Will not give a street closure permit for events
unless composting collection is in place - Extended producer responsibility (EPR) resolution
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22Solutions to Plastic Bag Problems
- Establish recycling collection bins at large
stores - Curbside collection of plastic bags
- Bans
- Outright ban
- Specific stores (supermarkets and pharmacies)
- Nonbiodegradable bags
- Thin bags
- Exceptions for dry cleaners
- Imposed if use doesnt decrease by target s
- Fees on paper bags
- Levies
23Communities Banning Plastic Bags
- Alaska
- Native Village of Koyuk (2001)
- Native Village of Ft. Yukon (2003)
- Louden Tribal Council (1999)
- Native Village of Tanan
- Aleut Community of St. Paul Island
- New Stuyahok Village
- California
- San Francisco City and County (2007)
- City of Oakland (2007)
- Malibu (2008)
- Manhattan Beach (2008)
- City of Los Angeles (2008)
- Encinitas (2008)
- Fairfax, Marin County (2008)
- Other USA
- International
- Corsica, France
- Bhutan
- Taiwan
- China
- Bangladesh
- Mumbai, Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, India
- Eritrea
- Botswana
- Rwanda
- Somalia
- Zanzibar Islands, Tanzania
- Kenya
- Uganda
- Collingwood, New Zealand
24Countries Communities with Per Bag Fees
- Ireland
- Taiwan
- South Africa
- Malta
- Italy
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Germany
- Sweden
- Israel
- Victoria, Australia
- Hong Kong
-
In Progress, Proposed, or Being
Studied Seattle, Washington 20 Santa Clara
County, CA 25 Pasadena, CA 25 on paper, ban
on plastic Toledo, Ohio New York City Washington,
DC
25Ireland Results
- Outstanding success
- Plastic bags per person decreased from 328 to 21
bags per person - Immediate reduction in plastic bag litter
- Reusable long life shopping bags have largely
replaced disposable plastic bags in the grocery
sector - The availability of a viable alternative was a
key factor in public acceptance - Irish firms involved in plastic bag related
industry show great flexibility in providing
reusable bags - 91 of those surveyed believe plastic bag levy is
a good idea - Bag levy has not led to an increase in plastics
landfilled - Any claims that levy has had a negative
environmental impact have not been substantiated
and are considered heresay
26Ireland Results
27Other Policy Results
- Malta
- 14 euro cents/bag levy introduced in 2005
- Amount of plastic bags decreased by 22.5 million
- Levy increased to 15 euro cents Nov. 2008
- Taiwan
- Restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores
charge customers for plastics bags and utensils
(2003) - 69 drop in use of plastic products
- 77 cut back on use of plastic bags
- 71 regularly carry used plastic bags to
supermarkets - 43 brought their own plastic bag to convenience
stores 40 do not ask for bags at convenience
stores - 68 support the governments decision to continue
restricting use of plastic bags
28Other Policy Results
- South Africa
- Levy on plastic bags established in 2004
- Portion of revenue collected used to create new
joint business ventures and market for recycled
material - Use of plastic bags cut in half (from 8 billion
to 4 billion a year) - Less plastic bag litter, particularly in poorer
areas - Large stores implemented regulations with success
- The large supermarket chain, Pick n Pay, has
promoted its version of the Green Bag (5.5
million sold) - It has also designed a 2-tier trolley frame,
allowing shoppers to collect and take home
groceries in specially designed baskets (no need
for a bag)