Donna Walsh spearheads new initiative against ocean pollution

New Marine Debris Act will reduce trash at state beaches and increase recycling

By Clean Water Action of Rhode Island

Legislation to prevent marine debris and increase reuse and recycling of plastic and packaging materials in Rhode Island was introduced today at the State House by Representative Donna M. Walsh (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, Westerly, New Shoreham, South Kingstown).

She was supported by local and national organizations promoting marine debris reduction and enhanced recycling designed to benefit taxpayers and lead to a cleaner environment.  Rep. Walsh serves as chairperson of the Permanent Joint Committee on Economic Development, and vice chairperson of the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

“The best way to reduce marine debris is not to produce the trash in the first place,” said Rep. Walsh. “Manufacturers generally have little incentive now to choose the most environmentally friendly packaging available because they’re not the ones who pay to get rid of it – that cost is borne by cities and towns who pay to haul it and dump it the landfill.

In the case of all the cups, bottles and snack packaging that get dumped near the bay, the price will be paid by wildlife in the likely event that they wash out to the ocean.  If we give the producer of the product some responsibility for disposal – or better, recycling – of the packaging, they’ll be much swifter in adopting environmentally friendly packaging design.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: Charlestown Town Council members Tom Gentz (CCA) and Lisa DiBello (litigant) has publicly opposed product stewardship and manufacturer responsibility. Gentz denounced the idea that manufacturers should be held responsible for the environmental damage caused by their products as "onerous." See the Clerkbase video for yourself.

The Marine Debris Reduction Act seeks to address the following:

Marine debris is hurts RI economically and environmentally, by having coastlines and beaches become an eyesore, reduce the value in tourism, and pose health risks.

The legislation offers a solution that will make sure that taxpayers are not stuck with the bill for the packaging waste from major brands.  Plastic and paper items associated with take-out food packaging and consumer products winds up on the state’s beaches and in Narragansett Bay, while the brands have no responsibility or incentive to collect these recyclable materials and prevent marine debris. 

It is time for the producers of marine waste to take responsibility for prevention and cleaning it off the state’s beaches, Rhode Island’s prime asset. Through an industry-wide effort and financial incentive manufacturers with the most control over packaging decisions are crucial to solving the problem.

“It time for us to protect our shores,” said Jamie Rhodes, RI state director at Clean Water Action. “As society consumes more and more, our cities and towns are left to clean up the mess. We have an opportunity to bring industry together with state and local government to solve our garbage problem. It takes a shared responsibility to make progress.”

All Rhode Islanders have faced the problem of marine debris at their favorite beaches or coastal spots.  The legislation would make the state a national leader in combating this issue.  Annual statewide clean-ups of the debris that illustrate the extent of the problem have been carried out by Save The Bay, Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Clean Ocean Access, among others, involving thousands of volunteers and collecting tons of debris.

As national concern about marine debris grows, this legislation provides some of the solutions needed to reduce paper and plastic packaging while increasing recycling of those products. Industry needs to play a major role in achieving this goal.

“The health of our oceans and Rhode Island’s coastline is increasingly threatened by plastic pollution,” said Allen Hershkowitz, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the national groups supporting Rep. Walsh’s legislation.

“Plastic marine pollution is hurting Rhode Island’s environment and economy and the vast majority of this debris comes from land-based sources. In fact, it is well documented that up to 80 percent of marine debris is plastic. Existing federal and state laws are failing to keep plastic pollution from entering the ocean and harming marine wildlife and coastal economies. 

A new approach is needed to reduce the impacts of plastic packaging on our oceans. This intelligent initiative, the Marine Debris Reduction Act, is precisely the type of approach we need to address the marine debris problem.”

The press conference also featured a video about the marine debris problem financed by the Natural Resources Defense Council, which can be seen at: http://youtu.be/6mMKRZrF930.