skip to main content

Thursday, June 8, 2023

play newscast audioPlay

Alabama must redraw its Congressional maps, CNN reports a former official told the feds Trump knew the process for declassifying documents, and Canadian wildfires affect the health of humans and wildlife.

play newscast audioPlay

The Supreme Court upholds a key provision of the Voting Rights Act over Alabama redistricting, smoky skies could spell EPA trouble for some states, and President Biden calls on Congress to pass LGBTQ+ protections.

play newscast audioPlay

Rural communities launch projects with funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a study says rural transgender adults feel less supported than those in urban areas, and a summer road trip could mean majestic scenic byways or a sprinkling of donut shops.

Hearing Today on Landmark Bill to Reduce Plastic Packaging in CA

play audio
Play

Wednesday, June 29, 2022   

California lawmakers are considering a bill today to cut down on single-use plastics that are choking the nation's landfills and oceans.

Senate Bill 54 would require a 25% reduction in plastic packaging and single-use food-service ware over the next 10 years. It is the result of a compromise reached between environmental groups and the plastics industry.

Dr. Anja Brandon, U.S. plastics policy analyst for the Ocean Conservancy, said the scale of the solution needs to reflect the scale of the problem.

"I worked with other Ocean Conservancy scientists to estimate that this reduction would lead to 23 million tons less plastic in the state over the next 10 years," she said, "which is equivalent to nearly 26 times the weight of the Golden Gate Bridge."

Each year, more than 11 million metric tons of plastic is dumped into the ocean from land-based sources globally. The United States only recycles about 10% of its plastic.

The bill passed the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources Tuesday and goes before the Appropriations Committee today. It passed the state Senate in January. Some environmental groups oppose the bill, saying it doesn't go far enough.

Brandon said the bill would require manufacturers to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up the plastic in the environment.

"It would also require that all producers of all single-use plastic packaging be held responsible financially for managing the full lifecycle of their packaging," she said, "through what's called extended producer responsibility."

A similar proposal already has qualified for the November ballot - one that would move the timeline up to 2030 and ban polystyrene foam containers. The ballot measure is opposed by the American Chemistry Council and the California Business Roundtable.


get more stories like this via email
A case before the California State Supreme Court looks at whether a person who has been named a health care agent in an advance directive has the legal standing to sign an arbitration agreement requested by a skilled nursing facility. (Shishkin137/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

This week, four advocacy groups have filed an amicus brief in a case before the California Supreme Court involving allegations of elder abuse and the …


Environment

play sound

The New York State Senate has passed the HEAT Act, which now goes to the Assembly. The legislation aims to phase out gas-line extension allowances…

Social Issues

play sound

As hostility toward Jewish people continues to spike in Arizona and nationally, the Biden administration has issued a National Strategy to Counter …


George Floyd's murder brought such issues as generational wealth disparities to the forefront. Even prior to his death, awareness was growing in Midwestern states about a host of racial disparities, including economic. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

The upcoming Juneteenth holiday marks the kickoff of a new wealth building grant program for Black residents who are decedents of slavery in a few nor…

Social Issues

play sound

Portland has nixed plans to bring gunshot detection technology to the city. The technology - designed by a company formerly known as ShotSpotter…

Nevada's Gov. Joe Lombardo became the first governor in the nation to veto a medical aid-in-dying bill. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

This week, Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed Senate Bill 239, which would have allowed medical aid in dying in Nevada. The bill would have given mentally …

Environment

play sound

An experimental nuclear technology project slated for testing in Idaho is raising concerns about the potential for nuclear weapons proliferation…

Environment

play sound

The Bureau of Land Management has auctioned off another 10,000 acres of New Mexico public lands to the oil and gas industry, despite a local rally …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021