Plastic Pollution Is Bigger Than Single-Use Bags

Plastic large, small and microplastics at the Pacific gyre
Photo: Hagerty Ryan, USFWS on Pixnio

I wrote earlier about the ban on single-use plastic bags and most polystyrene foam containers that went into effect today. It is an important step in fighting plastic pollution. But plastic pollution comes from a lot more than those bags and takeout containers.

It is estimated New Jersey uses about 4.4 billion single-use plastic bags every year. A small fraction of them (less than 5 percent) are recycled, so they end up in landfills, trash incinerators, or just as litter in streets, wooded areas, along roads, and waterways.

The benefits of fewer plastic bags in the environment are greater than the inconvenience of bringing my having to bring my own bags from home. In my house, we have been re-using the small plastic bags from stores in our small trash cans in the bathrooms and bedrooms. But they do end up in our trash and eventually in a landfill or incinerator.

These bags and most plastic products are made from petroleum byproducts. Burned in an incinerator, they create air pollution. Left out and exposed to sunlight and the elements they eventually break down into smaller and smaller bits. Those bits are known as “microplastics” and these tiny particles become part of the food chain, particularly in oceans. They also find their way into and contaminate our drinking water (even some bottled waters) and food. 

If you walked the coastline of NJ from the rivers in the northeast and west to our famous Jersey Shore, you have come across plastic pollution. If you have been out on coastal waters, you probably have seen it too. As unattractive as it is, the dangers are not aesthetic. They hurt wildlife and eventually people.

The new ban won't even eliminate all plastic bags. Grocery stores can still use bags to hold uncooked meat, fish, poultry, loose items like fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, grains, and foods sliced or prepared to order. In other stores, exceptions include bags for holding newspapers, prescription drugs, and dry cleaning bags.

The ban is a good start but it is not the end.

Trash - mostly plastics - often end up washed up on coastlines
Science Photo Library, NTB via ndla.no

LINKS

NJDEP “Get Past Plastic” nj.gov/dep/get-past-plastic/#single_use_bags

New Jersey Clean Communities “Bag Up NJ” website at bagupnj.com

Reducing Pollutants From Your Winter Wood Fires

With colder weather and the holidays approaching, the Department of Environmental Protection reminds residents to practice safety and take steps to reduce the impact burning of wood has on air quality in their homes and neighborhoods.

“Burning of wood – whether in fireplaces, wood stoves, or outdoor wood boilers – can help reduce energy costs and add a cozy ambience to any home as the weather turns colder,” said Commissioner Martin.

“But wood burning also emits small particles and other air pollutants that can be significantly reduced with some common-sense practices, better protecting your health as well as your neighbors’ health and creating the climate for a safer and more enjoyable season.”

For some people, even short-term exposure to wood smoke can aggravate lung or heart conditions. Children, teen-agers, older adults and people with lung diseases such as asthma and COPD, or heart conditions are most susceptible to the effects of wood smoke.

The DEP recommends following these guidelines for burning wood at home:

1. Allow wood to season before burning it. Seasoning means allowing the wood to sit outdoors for at least six months. Seasoning allows moisture to evaporate from the wood, making it burn more efficiently Seasoned wood is darker, has cracks in the end grain and sounds hollow when smacked against another piece of wood. Use a wood moisture meter to test the moisture content of wood. Wood burns most efficiently when its moisture content is below 20 percent.
2. Stack wood neatly off the ground with the top covered to protect the wood from rain and snow. Store wood that is to be used in the house a safe distance from fireplaces or stoves.
3. Start fires with newspaper and dry kindling and keep them burning hot.
4. Regularly remove ashes to ensure proper airflow.
5. Never burn garbage, cardboard, plastics, wrapping materials, painted materials or pressure-treated wood in your stove or fireplace.
6. Keep anything flammable – including drapes, furniture, newspapers and books – far away from any wood-burning appliance. Keep an accessible and recently inspected fire extinguisher.
7. Have chimneys cleaned annually by a certified chimney-sweep. Nearly seven percent of homes fires are caused by the buildup of creosote in the chimney. These fires can spread extremely rapidly, and are often signaled by flames leaping from the chimney or a low rumbling sound reminiscent of a freight train or airplane.
8. Consider using an indoor air HEPA filter in the same room as a stove or fireplace. These filters can reduce indoor particle pollution by as much as 60 percent.

State regulations and some municipal ordinances prohibit the emission of visible smoke from outdoor wood boilers. Wood boilers heat a fluid that is circulated in homes and buildings for heating purposes. Under state regulations, these boilers may only emit visible smoke for three minutes every half-hour to allow for start-up.

If you plan on burning wood as a major way to heat your home this winter, the DEP recommends upgrading to a U. S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified wood stove or fireplace insert. The newer equipment will reduce air pollution and is much more energy efficient.

For more information on wood burning in New Jersey, visit: http://www.nj.gov/dep/baqp/woodburning.html

For more on the EPA’s Burnwise program, visit: http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/

PHOTOS/EPA Burnwise website