The California Ocean Protection Council, a multi-agency task force created by Governor Schwarzenegger that focuses on ocean health, released its action plan on how to implement the marine debris resolution it passed in February of 2007. The report recommends increasing extended producer responsibility on
packaging, highlights California's Container Recycling Law as a vehicle
to reduce litter, recommends the prohibition of plastic bags and foamed
polystyrene and a phased ban on toxics in plastic packaging.

Read the Report

The report is open for comment and will be considered for adoption by the Council in September.

CAW and OPC Recommendations:

• SB 1625 (Corbett): Expands California's Container Recycling Law to include more plastic bottles.
• AB 2058 (Levine): Requires a fee on carryout bags.
• AB 2505 (Brownley): Phases out vinyl chloride packaging.
• AB 904 (Feuer): Requires takeout food packaging be recyclable.

A committee of the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously yesterday to ban plastic bags if the Legislature does not soon require a fee. The committee also unanimously voted to ban foamed polystyrene ("Styrofoam") in city facilities.

Read an Article

The measure will now come up for a vote before the full city council.

CAW and Plastic Bags:

• Learn About AB 2058, which would place a fee on plastic bags.

At a time when city after city are banning foamed polystyrene (commonly known as "Styrofoam") containers and the California Legislature is considering a bill that would phase out their use, one might think that corporate chains are shying away from the non-recycled plastic that takes such a toll on the environment as marine debris pollution. But Carol McAlice Currie of the Oregon Statesman Journal writes that styrofoam containers are actually making a comeback at big corporate chains:

Nearly 20 years after McDonald's stopped serving Big Macs in plastic foam containers, another generation of food purveyors — such as Jamba Juice, Sonic America's Drive-in and some stylish coffee places — is foisting hot and cold drinks on consumers in one-use, nonrecyclable foam cups.

Read the Complete Article>>

Adding the the irony is the fact that McDonalds--one of the first big chains to phase out polystyrene in the mid-80s--is once again pushing polystyrene in a big way with its new "gourmet" coffee line (though now the foamed polystyrene is cleverly covered by a paper wrapper).

CAW and Polystyrene:

• Learn More about AB 904.

Media interest in plastic marine debris pollution has greatly increased in the past few weeks, with local efforts to ban plastics waste receiving international attention.  Yesterday, PBS's award-winning 4-part series "Strange Days on Planet Earth" took a vivid look at the North Pacific Gyre, a bigger-than-Texas patch of litter patch in the Pacific where plastic outweighs plankton. 

Also worthwhile, though a bit sensational (think:plastic bag manufacturers intentionally adding helium to their bags so they can build an island of plastic in the Pacific to develop)--check out this episode of the childrens' program, "Gorilla in the Greenhouse," online.

CAW and Marin Debris:

• Learn about a marine debris bills in the California Legislature this year, including AB 2058, AB 2505, and SB 1625.