Marine debris often ends up as trash on the beach. Photo: Heal the Bay.

Heal the Bay is sponsoring and supporting a series of bills to tackle marine debris in our oceans and coastal environments, consistent with policy recommendations made by the California Ocean Protection Council.

The majority of marine debris comes from land-based sources and most of it is made of plastic. Although marine debris is a global problem, California should take the lead and adopt effective strategies to reduce and prevent marine debris from wreaking havoc on marine life and on our coastal economies.

Ban the Bag
AB 1998 (Brownley)
Status

This bill, AB 1998, would prohibit supermarkets and convenience stores from distributing or providing plastic single-use bags and would regulate the distribution of paper bags so that consumers can switch to reusable bags.

Take It Back
AB 2139 (Chesbro)
Status

This bill, AB 2139, would establish a producer take-back system, or Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), requiring manufacturers to develop product stewardship plans for certain hazardous products such as medical sharps, pesticide containers, and small propane tanks. Programs similar to AB 2139 have been successful in preventing hazardous products from entering the waste stream and the environment.

Leash Your Lid
AB 925
Status

This bill, Assembly Bill 925 (Saldaña), requires bottle manufacturers to redesign plastic beverage bottles with attached lids made of recyclable material. Plastic bottle caps are frequently found on beaches and inland waterways and are commonly ingested by marine life, most notably, seabirds.  Like past legislation to attach aluminum can pull-tabs to the cans, AB 925 is a common sense approach to preventing dangerous litter from entering the marine environment.

Hold On To Your Butt
SB 4
Status

SB 4 (Oropeza) would ban smoking at all state beaches and parks, thereby reducing the amount of cigarette butt litter in coastal environments. Cigarette filters are made from acetate, a plastic product that does not biodegrade and may contain toxic chemicals that are harmful to wildlife.  Banning smoking on our public parks and beaches will also help prevent wildfires and reduce second-hand smoke exposure, creating a safer environment for beachgoers and park visitors.

Derelict Fishing Gear
SB 21 (Simitian)
Status

Senate Bill 21 (Simitian) would require by January 2012 all fishing licenses and official brochures issued in the state to have printed on them a toll-free number and website for purposes of reporting lost fishing gear, also known as “derelict fishing gear.” This lost gear continues to trap marine life that have not been intended for catch and is a public safety hazard for boaters, swimmers and divers.