Oceana Joins Massachusetts Lawmakers and Advocates on State House Steps to Demand Action on Single-Use Plastics
Massachusetts lawmakers consider legislation to curb harmful single-use plastics, policies voters support according to polling by Oceana
Press Release Date: June 14, 2023
Location: Boston
Contact:
Megan Jordan | email: mjordan@oceana.org | tel: 202.868.4061
Today, Massachusetts lawmakers, advocates, and concerned citizens convened on the State House steps to support legislation that would reduce the production and use of single-use plastics in the state. The push for action is reinforced by polling data from Oceana showing that 89% of Massachusetts voters support state and local policies to reduce single-use plastics.
Speakers from Oceana, MASSPIRG, MASSPIRG Students, Surfrider, Sierra Club, Environment Massachusetts, Conservation Law Foundation, League of Women Voters Massachusetts, Community Action Works, and Beyond Plastics gathered in front of the State House and many will testify before the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, which is considering several bills to reduce plastic pollution and packaging. The bills include “An Act to Reduce Single-Use Plastics from the Environment” (House Bill 767) and “An Act to ‘Skip the Stuff’ to Reduce Restaurant Waste” (House Bill 766), authored by Rep. Michelle L. Ciccolo (D-Middlesex), and “An Act to Save Recycling Costs in the Commonwealth” (House Bill 779), authored by Rep. Michael S. Day (D-Middlesex).
“Massachusetts can make a difference in plastic pollution, and today we call on lawmakers to take a stand against unnecessary single-use plastics. Plastics are polluting our oceans, harming marine life, and devastating ecosystems. The only solution is to stop the problem at its source by reducing the amount of plastic we create, use, and throw away,” said Nancy Downes, Oceana’s senior field representative for Massachusetts. “Massachusetts should follow the lead of other states that have already taken action to curb plastic pollution, and we urge them to swiftly pass these important measures into law.”
Oceana recently released the results of a new 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.
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.
Oceana says that recycling alone will not solve this problem. Less than 6% of plastic in the U.S. is recycled, yet the plastics industry continues to tout recycling as a panacea while pushing new plastic products onto the market. With plastic production growing at a rapid rate, increasing amounts of plastic can be expected to flood our blue planet with devastating consequences. Oceana campaigns to stop plastic pollution at the source — by working to pass local, state, and national policies that reduce the production and use of unnecessary single-use plastic and move toward refill and reuse systems.
To learn more about Oceana’s campaign to stop plastic pollution, please visit usa.oceana.org/plastic.
