California can create a future free of plastic waste

Our planet is being overwhelmed by single-use plastic waste. It’s most visible as litter that pollutes our streets, parks and beaches.

Research by Monterey Bay Aquarium scientists also found an alarming level of plastic in the water off California’s coast — from the surface to the seafloor.

As a marine biologist, I know ocean plastic pollution is a daunting problem. Since 1950, humans have produced 8 billion tons of plastic globally; less than 10% has been recycled. Every nine minutes, about 300,000 pounds of plastic ends up in the ocean — the weight of a blue whale, the largest animal on Earth.

With plastic production continuing to increase, and recycling rates dropping as China and other nations refuse the mountains of waste we export, we can’t recycle our way to a solution for ocean plastic.

But I’m here to say: California, we’ve got this.

A big part of the problem is single-use products and packaging, items we use just once, then throw away. Research in Monterey Bay found that most plastic particles in the ocean match the type of plastic in everyday single-use consumer items — like water and soda bottles, takeout containers, disposable cups and lids, and a vast amount of packaging. Most of these items do not get recycled. Luckily, they offer a tremendous opportunity for design and innovation.

We need to invent new ways to enjoy consumer goods without the single-use waste. For the plastic that is necessary, we must create a system so we recycle 90% of what we use, not a meager 10%. Government, industry, business and consumers must all play a part in this solution. California is poised to lead the way.

The state Legislature is now considering the most ambitious single-use waste-reduction policy in the country. Bills by Assembly member Lorena Gonzalez and state Sen. Ben Allen set targets for reducing waste from all single-use packaging, as well as the 10 most commonly littered single-use plastic products. Manufacturers would help reach these goals by making their products reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2030 — and helping ensure they are actually recycled and composted.

It’s a comprehensive model similar to what Europe is doing: create new markets for recyclables, require plastic producers to take responsibility for the lifetime impact of their products, and selectively ban some singleuse items, like plastic grocery bags and takeout food packaging.

California’s economy is the fifth largest in the world. What we do here can help accelerate progress from the local to global scale. We can boost international market demand for innovative product delivery systems and packaging materials — creating new options that don’t pollute the ocean and imperil ocean wildlife. By prioritizing recycled products and packaging, California can inject new momentum into recycling and composting infrastructure, and create jobs right here in our state.

Showing leadership on the world’s most pressing environmental issues isn’t new for us. California has been out front on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building a clean-energy economy, and protecting our ocean and coast. We’ve shown we can do right by the planet and improve our quality of life at the same time.

That’s why the aquarium and so many other conservation and science organizations have joined with government and business leaders to support SB 54 and AB 1080. Together, we can create a future free of unnecessary plastic waste. We believe California has the creativity and determination to design an economy that supports a healthy ocean and healthy people.

The California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act provides the bold vision our state is known for. It will help create a better future for us all.