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 Polystyrene components, Benzene and Styrene, are known carcinogens and neurotoxins and the industry is the 5th largest creator of toxic waste in the U.S.;
- 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. Ban all polystyrene takeout food containers and cups;
3. Provide plastic straws 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
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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