Oceana Joined Lawmakers and Advocates at Massachusetts State House to Demand Action on Plastics Legislation
Press Release Date: January 23, 2024
Location: Boston
Contact:
Ariana Miller, Megan Jordan | email: amiller@oceana.org, mjordan@oceana.org | tel: Ariana Miller, 202.868.4061
Yesterday, Oceana joined the Plastic Free Mass Coalition, Massachusetts Zero Waste Caucus, and more than 100 Massachusetts residents to discuss the state’s plastic pollution problem and legislative solutions. The event included a panel discussion among experts, which highlighted plastic reduction legislation, followed by a screening of the Emmy® award-winning documentary “We’re All Plastic People Now.”
“We’re calling on state lawmakers to make Massachusetts a leader in tackling the plastic pollution crisis,” said Nancy Downes, Oceana’s field campaigns manager for Massachusetts. “Plastics are polluting our oceans, harming our health, and damaging our climate. The only solution is to stop the problem at its source by reducing the amount of plastic produced and used. Massachusetts should follow the lead of other states that have already curbed plastic pollution, and we urge our legislators to swiftly pass these important measures into law.”
Oceana supports several state legislative bills, including an Act to Reduce Single-Use Plastics from the Environment, an Act to “Skip The Stuff” to reduce restaurant waste, an Act to Save Recycling Costs in the Commonwealth, and an Act Relative to Chemical Recycling.
“We are encouraged that these bills now have moved favorably out of committees, but there is more work to be done,” said Downes. “Oceana will continue to push for legislative action to reduce single-use plastics across the state of Massachusetts.”
In 2023, Oceana released the results of a statewide poll, which found that 92% of Massachusetts voters are concerned about single-use plastic products and 89% support local and state policies to reduce single-use plastic. Additionally, 90% are concerned about plastic pollution and its impact on the environment and our oceans and 88% say companies should offer them plastic-free options. Oceana’s poll, conducted by the nonpartisan polling company Ipsos, surveyed roughly 425 adults in Massachusetts between December 12-19, 2022.
Background
Scientists estimate that 33 billion pounds of plastic wash into the ocean every year. That equates to about two garbage trucks’ worth of plastic entering the ocean every minute. Plastic has been found in every corner of the world and has turned up in drinking water, beer, salt, honey, and more. It’s also one of the greatest contributors to climate change. In fact, if plastic were a country, it would be the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. With plastic production growing at a rapid rate, increased amounts of plastic can be expected to flood our blue planet with devastating consequences.
To learn more about Oceana’s campaign to stop plastic pollution, please visit usa.oceana.org/plastics.
