Two measures in the Florida House and Senate are attempting to prevent local governments from outright banning plastic, but they were unsuccessful during the previous legislative session.
Furthermore, the new law would nullify any existing local plastics rules if it were to pass.
State Senator Carlos Smith, who represents a portion of Orange County, stated that he thought Senate Bill 1822 was a bad idea. “I actually can’t think of a worse idea than this bill.”
Senate Bill 1822, which would repeal existing local laws that forbid single-use plastics on city-owned properties like parks and beaches, has faced significant opposition.
It would also prohibit state parks and local governments from regulating plastic bags, containers, and other disposable service items.
According to Stacey Gallagher, Policy Coordinator for the Sea Turtle Conservancy, “How does encouraging the production and use of more of these items protect our environment, our children’s future and our nature based economy that depends on clean waterways and beaches.”
The Republican-sponsored Senate bill and a comparable House bill, HB565, breezed through their first two committee hearings in spite of fierce opposition.
A 2008 state preemption statute that prohibited local governments from minimizing or removing the sources of plastic pollution that contaminate our beaches, shorelines, and waterways is strengthened by the measures.
Conservationists now worry that if this new measure is passed, it will reverse the work that has been accomplished to stop the flow of plastic pollution that is affecting our natural areas and putting species in risk.
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Clean Miami Beach’s founder and executive director is Sophie Ringel. Her organization has organized 453 clean-ups over the last six years, gathering an incredible 122,440 pounds of rubbish, most of it plastic.
“I don’t want to put all the blame on just the people,” she stated. “We also need to have better regulation and better production and better laws in place.”
According to a 2021 FDEP research cited by Ringel, 93% of Floridians surveyed support regulating single-use plastics; however, State Representative Omar Blanco, who supported the bill in the house, resisted.
“Most people that answered this report were people who are concerned about plastic,” Blanco stated. “It’s not the everyday Floridian, the people who shop. I believe that most people use plastic responsibly.”
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However, according to a recent Oceana research released in February, there is broad bipartisan support for lowering the production of plastics, and eight out of ten registered voters are worried about plastic pollution.
“Americans are very concerned about it, and they know that really reducing plastic at the source and plastic production is the only way to really tackle the problem,” Catherine Uden, the South Florida Field Representative for Oceana stated.
A 2015 ban on Styrofoam significantly decreased its presence on Miami Beach’s shorelines and waterways. Foam pieces were the fourth most frequently collected item during Miami Beach cleanups in 2016, but in 2020, they ranked 20th, according to data from the Ocean Conservancy.
The Miami Beach foam restriction would be lifted if this bill is approved.
Ringel questioned, “Why are we stepping back and allowing more plastic to be around. Why do we want to increase plastic production?”
“Nobody,” Blanco uttered.
According to FDEP, over 7,000 tons of plastic entered Florida’s maritime environment in 2020 alone.
Before going to the floor for a vote, the Senate and House bills must both clear two additional committees.
On Monday, the Community Affairs Committee will hear the Senate bill.
This Information has been sourced from local10.
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