Legislation to address an abundance of plastic debris threatening coastal economies and harmful to marine life has passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and now as three separate bills heads to the Senate floor to be rejoined.
The bills include provisions for establishment of a Marine Debris Foundation, to encourage and administer private gifts of property to benefit services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the Marine Debris Program, and to participate with and assist state, local and tribal governments, foreign governments, entities and individuals in efforts to reduce and remove marine debris.
S.1982, co-sponsored by Senators Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., also calls for a genius prize competition to encourage technological innovation with the potential to reduce plastic waste, plus other measures to combat marine debris, and studies on innovative uses of plastic waste.
In September, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved part of the Save Our Sea 2.0 Act which was separately introduced as the Save Our Sea 2.0: Improving Domestic Infrastructure to prevent Marine Debris Act, S.2260, on improving domestic waste and water infrastructure. In addition, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a third bill, separately introduced by Menendez, as the Save Our Seas 2.0: Enhanced Global Engagement to Combat Marine Debris Act, S.2372, to boost global engagement to combat marine debris.
Links to the three pieces of legislation include S.1982, S.2260 and S.2371.
S.3508, the Save Our Seas act of 2018, signed into law by President Trump on Oct. 11, 2018, reauthorized and amended the Marine Debris Act to promote international efforts to reduce marine debris. Co-sponsors included Whitehouse, along with Senators James Inhofe, R-Okla. and Bill Nelson, D-Fla.
Currently, some 8 million metric tons of mismanaged plastic waste from land enters oceans annually, 90 percent of which enters from 10 rivers, eight of which are in Asia. The plastic breaks down into tiny particles that can enter the marine food chain, proving harmful to fish and wildlife, and wash ashore on coastlines worldwide.
