HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0064.209 2010-2012 }
October 27th, 2011
Hawaii County Councilmembers,
I am a researcher at UH Hilo and an expert on marine debris. I missed your Hilo meeting
because I had been at sea studying the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.We don't have time here to discuss
the myriad of effects that plastic,including disposable shopping bags,have on marine environments. In
fact, I teach an entire semester on it and some of my students are here with me today.In short,plastics
in the ocean are ingested by,entangle,and smother wildlife,leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals,and
are unsightly for visitors to the beach and ocean. Publicized photographs of turtles and other
organisms killed by shopping bags are not the exceptions;they are the rule.A variety of studies report
that between 60- 100%of turtles examined have some form of plastic in their stomachs.
Scariest of all is that plastic, especially disposable bags,readily breaks down into microplastic
particles. New research shows that once out of sight,these particles are incorporated into the tissues
and even inside the cells of marine organisms with unknown effects. My own research has shown that
these tiny pieces of plastic are already changing the physical properties of Big Island beaches,again
with uncertain future consequences. The convenience of single-use plastic is not worth the risk.
Of course,a ban on plastic bags will not solve all these issues. But it is an important first step in
the right direction. It is the "low hanging fruit"because it can have an immediate positive impact
without causing any economic damage to local businesses.Consumers are not going to stop buying
products simply because they are not given a free container to use for the few minutes it takes to get
those products home. If businesses see increased expense from bags made from recycled paper,they
are welcome to charge for them,encouraging the use of reusable bags and eventually saving them
money.The only businesses potentially affected by a ban are chemical companies that produce the
bags.
It is easy to point the finger at fishing boats and foreign countries for the litter that washes up
on this island,but the problem is also local. My students this semester are monitoring debris-retention
booms placed below storm water outlets in Hilo.They can tell you that plastic bags are some of the
more common items that Hilo contributes to the local ocean with each rain event.
I realize that single-use plastics have become second nature for us. But please step back and
think,for one moment,about how insane it is to design a product that has effects that can last decades,
but is only used for a few minutes.Just as we often shake our heads in disbelief at the mistakes of
previous generations, I believe our generation will be ridiculed for its irresponsible use of plastics. I
urge the council to show leadership on this issue,and demonstrate to its citizens that the council
makes the long term health of the island a priority.
Please feel free to contact me with questions regarding the effects of plastic in the marine
environment as you consider this issue.
Thank you,
Dr. Hank Carson
UH Hilo Marine Science Department
200 W. Kawili St.
Hilo, HI 96720
933-3880
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