Beyond Plastics Greater Mankato Area
Resolution to reduce single use throwaway plastics in North Mankato
- Whereas plastic never completely breaks down but breaks into smaller microplastic and nanoplastic particles that remain in our environment indefinitely (approximately 9 billion tons in total);
- Whereas only 8% is recycled or recyclable;
- Whereas about 8 million tons of plastic waste escape into the oceans annually (a dump truck full a minute), killing millions of animals and marine organisms;
- Whereas we breath in 272 microplastic particles a day and ingest a credit card’s worth of microplastics a week from dust particles that carry 1000 to 4000 tons of plastics a year;
- Whereas the 144 toxic chemical additives in plastic bags and food ware are known to cause breast and prostate cancer and harm our reproductive, neurological, cardiovascular and hormonal system;
- Whereas microplastics found in human fetuses cause miscarriage, low birth weight, immune problems, gene damage and developmental changes;
- Whereas the 30 to 36% increase in plastic production in the next 6 years will become an international health issue that will pose serious threats to future generations;
- Whereas a recent scientific study concluded that the cocktail of chemical pollution that pervades the planet now threatens the stability of global ecosystems upon which humanity depends;
- Whereas 130 plastics facilities report greenhouse gas emissions roughly equal to 57 average 500-megawatt coal-fired power plants with another 42 plastics facilities slated to open by 2025;
- Whereas an average local grocery store gives out approximately 1.5 million plastic bags a year that are used once and thrown away;
- Whereas Americans throw away 25 trillion Styrofoam cups, 40 billion plastic utensils and four billion plastic straws a year that are not recycled and contaminate our environment;
- Whereas chemicals such as vinyl chloride and benzene released during the production of plastic utensils are known carcinogens and neurotoxins;
Be it resolved that the city of North Mankato authorize the following actions to protect our environment and health of our community from throwaway plastic pollution:
1.Put a fee on all plastic and paper bags in all retail establishments.
2. Provide plastic straws, condiment packets and utensils upon request only.
City of North Mankato Resolution to Reduce Single Use Throwaway Plastics
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City of North Mankato Resolution to Reduce Single Use Throwaway Plastics
References for plastics resolution
The new Coal: Plastics role in Climate Change study
https://www.beyondplastics.org/plastics-and-climate
The Duluth Campaign to put a fee on plastic bags
Ocean plastic pollution
https://plasticoceans.org/the-facts/
https://plastics.oceana.org/?_ga=2.15180918.1524395739.1661302386-172237196.1661302386
75% of the people want a worldwide ban on single use plastics.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/75-people-want-single-plastics-000351848.html
Chemical Pollution is now threatening earth’s life support systems.
https://chemtrust.org/news/global-chemical-pollution/
Widespread chemical contamination of recycled plastic pellets globally (IPEN)
https://ipen.org/documents/widespread-chemical-contamination-recycled-plastic-pellets-globally
https://ipen.org/news/new-global-studies-show-health-threats-throughout-plastics-supply-chain
Microplastics in Human Fetus
‘Matter of great concern’: Scientists find microplastics in human placenta for 1st time
How Microplastics travel globally
https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2021/04/atmospheric-travel-scientists-find-microplastic-everywhere
Chemical Additives in Plastics Cause Disease and Death
https://www.endocrine.org/topics/edc/plastics-edcs-and-health
Link between prenatal exposure to various endocrine-disrupting chemicals and the rising prevalence of a potentially cancer-causing liver disease in children.
Rates of Childhood Liver Disease Are Rapidly Rising – Scientists May Have Discovered Why
Chemical Additives Cause Brain Cell Damage
https://newatlas.com/science/bpa-chemicals-plasticizers-damage-brain-cells/?itm_source=newatlas&itm_medium=article-body
Multiple Human Health Risks from Plastic Chain of Production
Plastic & Health: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet
Microplastics in Beverages and Food
https://www.statista.com/chart/18299/how-we-eat-drink-and-breathe-microplastics/
The Effects of Plastics on Plant Growth in Soil.
https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ppp3.10071
https://qz.com/2150031/plastic-use-in-agriculture-is-contributing-to-climate-change/
Plastic Recycling Doesn’t Work
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/whopping-91-percent-plastic-isnt-recycled/
Polystyrene Fact Sheet: 8 reasons to ban Styrofoam
Reasons to Ban Plastic Cutlery
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/environmental-impact-plastic-cutlery-and-solutions.php
Myths about reusable bags and covid
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/victoria-rome/paper-or-plastic-neither-grocery-shopping-during-covid-19
Dr.Shanna H. Swan’s book: Countdown: How Our World is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race, Scribner, New York, 2020
Videos
Plastics: Earth Super Polluters hosted by Impacts of Plastics A-Z
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaEiBK2a2as
Host a Screening of the Story of Plastic
https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/films-and-documentaries/
The Global Plastic Treaty – What You Need to Know
https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/ppc-webinar-031622
Dr. Kara Lavender Law on Plastic Pollution in the Ocean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP04G1wJEqY
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