Has regulating plastic pollution officially become our new environmental White Whale? The two proposed bills that would ban single use plastics, AB1080 and SB54, ultimately did not pass as state lawmakers felt they didn’t have enough support. The presence of plastic in our ecosystems is overwhelming, but our plastic production is continuing to reach irreversible levels.
What is most concerning to me is the unnatural nature of the plastic polystyrene. Styrene, the chemical which creates the polystyrene, has been labeled as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization. And because polystyrene does not decompose, it breaks down into smaller particles, which absorb toxic chemicals in the water, and are eventually eaten by marine animals.
As an alumnus of UC Santa Barbara, I take pride my community’s history of environmental activism, however passing impactful legislation for plastic pollution requires strong public education and support. Call your state assemblymember and urge them to support a statewide ban on polystyrene!