US Federal Government phases out single-use plastics

Based on an article in the New York Times 

The American federal government is one of the biggest purchasers of goods and services in the world. It spends billions of dollars each year on an array of items including military equipment, medical supplies, office products, construction services, and technology products. Therefore, its announcement in July that it would phase out purchases of single-use plastics is not only good news for the United States but it has the potential to have a significant impact on the global supply of single-use plastics.  

The United States produces more plastic waste than any other country, with the average resident responsible for 225 kg of plastic waste each year. As is typical across the world, only about 9 percent of America’s plastic is recycled, while the rest is incinerated, placed in landfills, shipped overseas or dumped into the environment. 

The American Government is aware of the damage that plastic waste can do to the environment. They state: “Communities across the United States and around the world are facing a plastic pollution crisis. Plastic production and waste have doubled over the past two decades, littering our ocean, poisoning the air of communities near production facilities, and threatening public health.” 

The White House said their aim is to reduce demand for disposable plastic items while also helping to create a market for alternatives that are reusable, compostable or more easily recyclable. 

The plan is laid out in various stages. It starts by phasing out purchases of single-use plastics for food, events and packaging by 2027. It aims to banish single-use plastics from all government operations by 2035. 

Some changes will be easy to implement, like switching to refillable printer cartridges and cleaning supplies and installing water-refill facilities at government facilities so single-use plastic bottles can be banned. Other changes could be more difficult to achieve, particularly if they involve single-use plastics for medical use or for use in combat settings, where speed and efficiency can be considered more important than environmental impact. 

This initiative, if not overturned by future governments, could have a global impact. Christy Leavitt, plastics campaign director at Oceana, a leading advocacy agency dedicated to ocean conservation, said, “The U.S. has been a laggard on national action to address plastic pollution,” but this new initiative “puts the federal government in the driver’s seat to tackle its own plastic use.” 

At Take 3 for the Sea we welcome every effort to reduce plastic use, particularly unnecessary single-use plastics. Every initiative, big or small, can make a difference. We encourage our supporters to lobby their local and national governments to implement  similar single-use plastic bans which, given the buying power of governments all over the world, have the ability to make a huge impact. On a personal level, every individual has the ability to Unleash the Power of 3: 

• Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway… or anywhere 
• Take 3 actions to reduce your single-use plastic
• Take 3 people on the journey with you 

The solution to plastic pollution is complex, but if we all do our bit, together we are solving the problem.