In a major step forward to rid California’s oceans of harmful plastic pollution, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs AB 258, a marine protection bill that requires manufacturers to prevent “nurdles” from spilling into waterways.
AB 258, a California bill authored by Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (43rd – Burbank), was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger on October 14, 2007.
The bill, which was passed by the California Legislature last month, codifies the state Ocean Protection Council’s hard-hitting February resolution on reducing marine debris caused by "nurdles" — pre-production plastic pellets. The new measures go into effect January 2009.
The Problem with Nurdles
Nurdles are pre-production plastic pellets, the building blocks of all plastic products. Approximately 60 billion pounds of nurdles are manufactured annually in the United States. Unfortunately, they are easily released into the environment from inland urban areas during transport, packaging, and plastic processing. Nurdles eventually migrate to coastal waterways and beaches through storm drains.
Once in the marine environment, the tiny BB-sized plastic pellets create a significant, long-term, lethal threat to aquatic life. Being the size of small fish eggs, marine life and sea birds commonly mistake nurdles for food. Ingestion of the plastic pellets causes intestinal blockage and starvation. Nurdles can also carry micropollutants in the form of toxic chemicals in the plastic along with ambient seawater pollutants, such as PCBs and DDT, which are attracted to and adhere to the nurdles' surface. Since these tiny plastic pieces do not biodegrade, they remain in the marine environment for decades, if not centuries.
AB 258 and the Pacific Protection Initiative
AB 258 requires all plastic product manufacturers to use best management practices, such as proper storage and clean-up procedures to prevent pellet spillage. The State Water Resources Control Board will be responsible for increased regulation and monitoring of companies that handle and use nurdles.
AB 258 is the first of four bills that comprise the Pacific Protection Initiative, a flotilla of legislation that Heal the Bay, Environment California and other advocacy groups helped draft to reduce and prevent plastic marine debris.
The fate of Initiative's bills addressing lost and abandoned fishing gear, toxics in plastic and sustainable packaging will be determined next year.
|
