New York must pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act.
Plastic pollution is impacting our environment and health. Microplastics and toxic chemicals used in plastic production are pervasive. They are in the air we breathe, our water, our soil, and throughout our bodies.
A recent study revealed the equivalent of five bottle caps of microplastics in human brains. Chemicals used in plastic production are linked with cancers, autoimmune disorders and endocrine disruption.
Much plastic waste produced is single-use or packaging. Due to the difficulty of recycling plastic, less than 6% is recycled. The rest is landfilled, incinerated, or in our environment.
Many Long Islanders live near waste management facilities. I live and work near incinerators. Reworld Hempstead sits by my office. Thirty % of waste burned in incinerators is plastic, mostly packaging. The resulting ash is transported to the Brookhaven Landfill.
The neighboring area is an environmental justice community, with residents facing landfill odors and health effects from an underground toxic plume releasing “forever chemicals” into the environment and groundwater.
We need legislation to address this crisis. The Packaging Reduction bill will require companies to decrease plastic packaging by 30% and improve recyclability. It will also prohibit the use of 17 toxic chemicals in plastic packaging and require companies to pay a fee based on the packaging produced. This fee will help pay for the costs of plastic disposal.
The fossil fuel industry is projected to triple plastic production by 2060. Our health and the health of our planet require action now.
Jennifer Vogt
East Norwich
