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WHEREAS, Americans generate over 35 million tons of plastic waste every year, but less than 6% is recycled; and,
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WHEREAS, studies have also estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish; and,
WHEREAS, in Pennsylvania, plastic is the most common form of visible litter; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation spends over $13 million every year cleaning up just roadside litter. Nine of the largest cities in Pennsylvania spend over $68.5 million every year on litter and illegal dumping, with $46.7 million of that going toward litter abatement; and,
WHEREAS, the environmental and health impacts of microplastics are robust; microplastics pose severe suffocation and starvation risks to wildlife and have been found in our air, food, and bodies; and,
WHEREAS, microplastics also attract pollutants that may already exist in the environment at trace levels, accumulating toxins like DDT (an insecticide used in agriculture) & PCBs (industrial products or chemicals) and delivering them to the wildlife that eat them, often bioaccumulating through the food chain; and,
WHEREAS, PennEnvironment collected and analyzed samples from rivers, lakes, and streams across Pennsylvania, and microplastics were found in every single waterway, from the Three Rivers and Chartiers Creek, to Lake Erie and beyond; and,
WHEREAS, seventeen Pennsylvania cities, boroughs, and townships have passed bans and other restrictions on single-use plastics. These laws cover over 16% of Pennsylvania's population, and could eliminate over 790 million single-use plastic bags every year, equivalent to over 4,400 tons of plastic waste.; and,
WHEREAS, Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution - so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize the risks that plastic waste pose...
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