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California is suing ExxonMobil for allegedly deceiving the public about the plastic pollution crisis and that plastic recycling could solve the plastic waste and pollution situation. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: A California state study found that the amount of trashed plastic shopping bags per person increased from 8 pounds per year in 2004 to 11 pounds per year in 2021. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
California’s new law banning all plastic bags was signed into law last month and goes into effect in 2026. In response to the state’s initial plastic bag ban passed in 2014, plastic bag manufacturers produced a thicker plastic bag which failed to reduce plastic waste.sLearn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: Plastic packaging makes up more than 50% of what Californians dump in landfills and eventually breaks down into microplastics that pollute air, food, water, and harm human health and ecosystems.sLearn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
California lawmakers are poised to approve two bills that would ban multi-use plastic bags. Stores would still be allowed to offer paper bags or bags made of at least 50% post-consumer recycled materials for a 10-cent fee. California already bans stores from offering single-use plastic bags. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Plastic production, use, and disposal all emit large amounts of greenhouse gasses. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara determined the extent to which plastic contributes to climate change, and what it would take to curb these emissions. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Plastic is everywhere and it is impacting human health. Its residues seep into food, water, lungs and skin, and from there to our guts, blood, brains, and placentas. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
According to a recent survey, Californians are most likely to name climate change, forest fires and wildfires, and water supply and drought as the most important environmental issues facing the state. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: Extreme heat kills more Americans each year than any other extreme weather events, including wildfires, droughts, and floods. Visit ready.ca.gov to prepare for emergencies and extreme weather. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Plastic pellets (preproduction plastic) known as nurdles are polluting landscapes and beaches across the world. Environmentalists are seeking to hold manufacturers accountable and prohibit the release of these harmful pellets into U.S. waters. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
California is on track to ban reusable plastic bags distributed by retail and grocery stores. Under proposed rules, stores can still offer customers paper bags or bags made of at least 50% post-consumer recycled materials for a 10-cent fee. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: Melamine sponges, known as magic sponges, are made of plastic strands assembled into a foam. Scientists say that foam breaks down into microplastics that can eventually make their way into the water supply and the food chain. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
A new study reports that microplastics can build up in the testicles of humans and dogs. Animal studies have shown exposure to microplastics can impact sperm quality and male fertility. Learn more #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: Every week, humans ingest 5 grams of plastic, which is equivalent to eating a credit card . According to the National Institutes of Health, plastics may accumulate in the body and trigger an immune response or cause adverse health effects such as respiratory issues, skin irritation, or systemic toxicity. Learn more #HealthyWorldForAll.
In a letter to California lawmakers, 61 city and county officials express support for banning all plastic bags including the thicker plastic bags currently used in grocery and retail stores. Since 2018, plastic bag waste by weight in California increased from 139,000 tons to 231,000 tons, which is the highest level on record. Learn more #HealthyWorldForAll.
California lawmakers are proposing a rule that would ban reusable bags made of recycled plastic film and require stores to only provide paper bags made of 100% recycled material, an increase from the previous 40%. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Almost 10 years after California’s plastic bag ban, there has been an unexpected increase in plastic waste by weight, mainly because people are throwing away thicker plastic bags which people can purchase for 10 cents each. Lawmakers are trying to pass rules which would ban those types of bags. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Celebrate Mother’s Day on May 12 by planning nature-friendly activities around Mother Earth—the Mother to All of Us and All Life. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Only 9% of the plastic sold every year in the United States is recycled. California’s new law aims to change that and hold companies accountable through the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act which mandates that all single-use packaging and plastic food service ware like cutlery, takeout containers, and plates be recyclable or compostable by 2032, with a 25% reduction and a 65% recycling rate for these materials. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Nearly 44% of plastic pollutants in the ocean are linked to takeout food containers and wrappers, single-use bags, and plastic bottles. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Celebrate Earth Month with Heal the Bay by signing up for “Reusable is Beautiful” activities, choosing reusable options over single-use plastic and keeping our waterways clean, safe, and beautiful. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: According to the United Nation Environment Programme, plastic waste causes $13 billion worth of damage to marine ecosystems every year. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: 500,000 tons of microfibers are released into the ocean each year from washing clothes — the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles. A recent study found that microplastics were found in the blood of 80% of people tested. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: Clothing is made with highly toxic dyes and heavy metals that pollute clean water streams, rivers and aquifers. In addition, 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year and significant amounts of microplastics from them go into the go into the ocean. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 and help protect our planet by participating in local events. This year’s theme is Planet vs. Plastics and promotes awareness on the health risk of plastics and phasing out single-use plastics. The goal is a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040. Visit earhday.org. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
California’s organic waste recycling program seeks to slash by 75% the amount of organic waste it sends to landfills by 2025 from 2014 levels. The goal is to keep waste from piling up in landfills, and instead turn it into compost or biogas. The program is behind schedule. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForfAll.
DYK: In 2024, 35 states will introduce policies banning PFAS forever chemicals, according to Safer States, a national alliance of environmental health organizations and coalitions. PFAS are found in numerous consumer products, providing heat, oil, stain, and grease resistance; they also pose serious human health concerns. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Recycling fraud is a serious crime in California. A recycling company was ordered to pay $140.5 million in penalties for defrauding California’s Beverage Container Recycling program. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
California lawmakers want to ban all plastic bags by 2026. The 2014 plastic bag ban, which banned thin plastic bags but allowed the purchase of thicker plastic bags designed for recycling, was not effective and increased plastic bag use, according to a recent study. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: The chasing arrows recycling symbol doesn't always mean a plastic item is recyclable. Depending on where you live, recyclability depends on the number within the arrows. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Bags made from seaweed can be used as an alternative to plastic bags, according to a new company. The bags biodegrade in four to six weeks and have a 12-month shelf life. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
A new California law mandates that by 2032, 25% of single use plastic be eliminated, 65% of single-use plastic be recycled, and 100% of single-use packaging be recyclable or compostable. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
DYK: According to a new study of 83 U.S. cities, formerly redlined areas (which are still predominantly Black, brown, or low-income) experience higher noise levels which can damage hearing after less than two hours of exposure. The noise also affects animals in the area. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Californians can redeem for cash their glass wine and liquor bottles, large plastic juice bottles, boxed wine containers and alcoholic beverage pouches. This applies to containers purchased in California. Learn more at #HealthyWorldForAll.
California aims to sharply limit the spiraling scourge of microplastics in the ocean, while urging more study of this threat to fish, marine mammals and potentially to humans, under a plan a state panel approved Wednesday.
California dumps more than 12,000 tons of plastic into landfills every day — enough to fill 219 Olympic-size swimming pools, according to CalRecycle, the state's recycling and waste management agency.