2021-08-25 EMC Agenda item 5-b(1) - Final-PSRWG-Report-to-Leg

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Catherine Gewecke, Aquatic Biologist Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources Due to the problems caused by ingestion of plastics by various organisms, and the reliance of humans on immediately digestible or break-down quickly into digestible material; ultimately a material that is plant- based and is able to be home-composted within normal composting periods (e.g. 12 to 24 weeks). Ingestion of plastics by organisms in various stages of their life (larval through adult) can reduce their ability to survive, affecting future populations and other marine or terrestrial organisms that feed upon them directly at various life-stages and trophic levels, causing gastrointestinal blockages and perforations, diluting food and nutrient absorption, and exposing organisms to persistent organic pollutants (e.g. PCBs and DDT), which attach to floating pieces of plastic and travel globally through marine ecosystems. According to two studies conducted by local research institutions in Hawaii, researchers discovered ingested plastic - mostly plastic fragments - in 50 of 55, or 90.9%, of turtles collected as bycatch in the pelagic (open sea) Pacific longline fisheries (Clukey et al., Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2017). The plastic polymers that w-density 2018). Among other polymers, LDPE and PP are used to make single-use drink bottles, food packaging and bags, in addition to being used heavily in the fishing, aquaculture and shipping industry for nets, and other fish gear. In another recent study conducted by researchers in West Hawaii, ocean surface slicks (which are important gathering areas for larval pelagic and reef fish due to their high densities of marine phytoplankton and ting plastics (Gove et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2019). Nearly 9% of larval fish species, including important food-fish (swordfish and mahi mahi) and other pelagic and reef fish (flying fish, trigger fish and damsel fish), were found to have ingested plastics (Gove et al., PNAS, 2019). In order to provide effective options for alternative packaging materials in Hawaii, it would be beneficial to research the impacts of these home-compostable alternative packaging on aquatic organisms before they are able to microbially decompose (e.g. before 12 weeks). Such research could include a pilot project which researches the ingestibility or potential ecotoxicity of home-compostable cellulose packaging films (e.g. packaging films produced by NatureFlex or other manufacturers) on aquatic organisms. NatureFlex films are approved for vermicomposting (Australian standard AS 5810 takes worm toxicity into account), however testing with aquatic life has not been done. Verifying that these home-compostable materials can be digested if they were to enter the ecosystem before they are able to microbially decompose (from escapement during disposal process), or collecting data on the effect of the marine environment (salt water) on decomposition rates, would be beneficial in terms of Hawaii recommending effective packaging alternatives. 13