HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0663.013 2008-2010Murashige, Laura
From: James Weatherford [jamesweatherfordphd @gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 1046 AM
To: counciltestimony @co hawaii hi us
Subject: Bill 193 -10 SUPPORT
Bill 193-10 -- SUPPORT
Regarding the chemical properties of plastics:
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Regarding environmental impact of plastics and the associated implications:
Additional information regarding plastics in the marine environment can be found at
http://s vww.algalita.org /research.html.
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During discussion on Bill 193 -10 at the Committee on Environmental Management, one Council
member called it 'bad science' to claim that plastics were harmful in the environment. The member went
on to say that plastics would decompose and be of no harm. This Council member is the one who is
promoting bad science.
Below are quotes from a recent study concerning plastics in the environment, "Transport and release of
chemicals from plastics to the environment and to wildlife"
by Emma L. Teuten, et al. in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society — Biological Sciences,
October 10, 2008.
"Plastics present in the marine environment, including resin pellets, fragments and microscopic
plastic debris, contain organic contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petroleum hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides
(DDTs, HCHs), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), alkylphenols and bisphenol A (BPA),
at concentrations from sub ng /g to µg /g. Some of these compounds are added during plastics
manufacture, while others adsorb from the surrounding seawater."
"Plastics can act as a source of environmental contaminants. For example, in the landfill
environment many additives and constitutional monomers leach out of plastics, and the
discharged leachate can introduce plastic derived contaminants into the environment.
Plastics also sorb and concentrate organic contaminants from the marine environment.
... plastics with environmental contaminants can transport these compounds to organisms at
various trophic levels.
... we should not under - estimate the environmental impact of discarded plastics ... the environmental
implications of their disposal should be carefully considered to avoid inadvertent release, magnification
and transport of contaminants."
Clearly, good science demonstrates that plastics — including discarded plastic bags -- do cause
environmental damage.
Importantly, when environmental contaminants in plastics are ingested by marine animals, such as fish,
these contaminant then enter the food chain and are consumed by humans -- think about that the next
time you eat fish!
Comm. N (I
Ref. To I JL
Ref. oata_FEB 1 8 2010—
While Bill 193 -10 will not do everything possible for our community to keep plastics out of the
environment, it does represent a basic and important step in that direction.
Please vote on the basis of good science and vote YES on Bill 193 -10.
James Weatherford, PhD
PO Box 2017
Keaau, Hawaii 96749
808 -982 -5549
2/16/2010
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