Sept 24 - New Reports Show California Waters Have Nation’s Worst Plastic Pollution

New research released this week shows that California’s San Francisco Bay has some of the highest concentrations of plastic pollution of any body of water in the United States. And just today, UC Davis announced research showing that up to a quarter of fish caught off the state’s coast could have plastic or man-made fibrous material in their guts. 

Meanwhile, researchers are studying the impact of micro plastics on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the source of two-thirds of California’s precious fresh water. Listen to researchers Dr. Chelsea Rochman and Dr. Sara Kross on Capitol Public Radio this morning discussing plastic microbeads pollution.

Earlier this month, the New York Times reported on research finding plastic in 9 out of 10 seabirds, including penguins.

Californians Against Waste is sponsoring legislation on the desk of Governor Jerry Brown that would ban toothpastes, soaps and other personal care products that contain plastic microbeads. Recent research shows that 8 billion plastic microbeads are released everyday in the United States. These tiny pieces of plastic are often not caught at water treatment plants. Instead, they absorb toxins in sewers, rivers and oceans, and are eventually ingested by fish, whales and other animals.

Governor Jerry Brown has until October 11 to sign AB 888, which is also sponsored by the California Association of Sanitation Agencies, The 5 Gyres Institute, Clean Water Action and The Story of Stuff Project that created this online video to explain the problem of plastic microbead pollution.

Click here to urge the governor to sign AB 888 and thank you for supporting Californians Against Waste’s continuing work to reverse the tide of plastic pollution in the oceans and our state’s precious fresh water sources.