Dear Editor,
Every Wednesday at 5:30pm, a few neighbors and I gather in front of Curtis Hall, then head out to pick up trash along our streets. We pass many who say they do the same. But by Thursday morning, the route we clean is already littered with new wrappers, bottles, and bags. It is disheartening and easy to blame ourselves. Can we all just use a trash bin? This is what the plastic industry wants. Shifting blame and responsibility of plastic pollution to the individual distracts us from the fact that we did not ask for it, don’t want or need it, and are left picking up the pieces – quite literally.
As of 2022, global plastic production climbed to 367 million tons and is expected to continue growing rapidly.1 In stark contrast, less than 6% of plastic waste gets recycled.2
Massachusetts is known for being progressive. This year, our Senate proposed the Mass Ready Act bond bill that included a bag ban, foodservice items by request only, and an extended producer responsibility program. The House removed all three, and there is now a conference committee to negotiate their inclusion.
We need Representatives Finn, Barber, and Sweezey on the conference committee to vote for the health of our environment and citizens by restoring the provisions the Senate has approved. If not? Vote for who will represent us better.
1Plastic Production Statistics | 2026 Sourced Report
2A Slim Percentage of Plastic Gets Recycled. How Can We Change That? — Beyond Plastics – Working To End Single-Use Plastic Pollution