[Pharmwaste] RE: Wisconsin adopts ban on microbeads

Ed Gottlieb EGottlieb at cityofithaca.org
Tue Jul 7 14:48:11 EDT 2015


In signing the ban on plastic microbeads in personal care products (PCP), Governor Walker showed his support of the plastics and cosmetics industries and his lack of concern for the environment and human health.

The movement to ban microbeads in PCP is primarily driven by their ability to collect and concentrate pharmaceuticals and other pollutants which then enter the food chain when the beads are eaten by aquatic organisms.  In response to the ban the bead movement, the plastics industry has been successfully pushing state legislatures to adopt bans using wording that they wrote rather than wording promoted by environmental groups.  The industry version has two provisions that make it very objectionable to anyone wanting an effective ban.  It is the plastics industry version that Governor Walker just signed into law.

The law [http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2015/related/acts/43] only applies to, "non-biodegradable, solid plastic" [299.50 Sec 1(e)].  With "non-biodegradable" left undefined, it can, and will, be argued that the plastics used (or the bio-polymers they could switch to) are biodegradable.  But, under what conditions do they biodegrade?

It has been reported that the biodegradable plastics now available require composting at high temperatures to break down.  They do not biodegrade in the natural environment.  California is now considering a ban on biodegradable microbeads in PCP!  For a detailed explanation of this point, read these recent stories:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2015/01/28/3612216/environmentalists-pan-microbeads.html

http://www.theguardian.com/vital-signs/2015/jun/08/california-microbead-ban-bioplastic-story-of-stuff-water
The Wisconsin law also includes an industry written ban on local communities enacting legislation [Sec 4].  "A political subdivision may not enact an ordinance or adopt a resolution concerning the manufacture, sale, or distribution of products containing synthetic plastic microbeads."

This law is a total win for the manufactures and polluters, allowing them to continue their activities while locking out effective local legislation.

When your state legislators consider a ban on plastic microbeads in PCP, please be sure to lobby for a bill that does not include the non-biodegradable loop-hole or a ban on local action.  Thanks!

Ed Gottlieb
Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal
Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
525 3rd Street
Ithaca, NY  14850
(607) 273-8381
fax: (607) 273-8433
________________________________
From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us [pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] on behalf of Bickford, Barbara J - DNR (Barb) [Barbara.Bickford at wisconsin.gov]
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2015 6:31 PM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Wisconsin adopts ban on microbeads


Wisconsin adopts ban on microbeads


Wisconsin is the seventh state to ban microbeads in personal care products.  On Wednesday, Governor Walker signed bipartisan legislation that bans the manufacturing of microbead products at the beginning of 2018 and their sale one year later.
http://news.yahoo.com/wisconsin-governor-walker-signs-bill-banning-microbeads-002857108--sector.html

Barb Bickford
Medical Waste Coordinator and Hydrogeologist
Waste and Materials Mgt/AWaRe Division
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
101 S. Webster St., PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921
Phone: 608-267-3548
Fax: 608-267-2768
barbara.bickford at wisconsin.gov


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/pipermail/pharmwaste/attachments/20150707/92a3d460/attachment.htm


More information about the Pharmwaste mailing list