Collaboration Needed to Mitigate Plastic Waste in Utah

In order for the state of Utah to break away from its reliance on plastic materials, it will take a collaborative effort among consumers, companies and lawmakers. That’s according to an ABC 4 report that breaks down plastic use statistics and potential preventative actions that can be implemented to reduce plastic waste.

According to the report, in 2016, 2017 and 2018, Utah Sen. Jani Iwamoto attempted to pass a bill that would require companies to sell single-use plastic bags for a small fee. That bill, however, failed to pass.

The board president of the Utah Recycling Alliance points to similar measures that have been taken in other states that could help to shift the public’s thinking in terms of plastic bag use. “The solution, she said, requires a combination of the consumer, the business community and government to work together to clean up the environment,” the report notes.

ABC 4 has more:

For Sarah Bateman, Board President of Utah Recycling Alliance, the first step towards reducing her plastic use was swapping out plastic grocery bags for reusable bags. Over the years, she has made other small changes to reduce waste, which makes it possible for her family of five to take out the garbage only six times a year.

However, plastic waste can be difficult to avoid when basic necessities at the store come packaged in plastic and most retail companies offer plastic bags for convenience.

Read the full story here.