Even if you never have the chance to see or touch the ocean, the ocean touches you with every breath you take, every drop of water you drink, every bite you consume. Everyone, everywhere is inextricably connected to and utterly dependent upon the existence of the sea. - Sylvia Earle You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make. - Jane Goodall

1. MAUI
Proposed amendments to a county ordinance are identified for the use and sale of plastic food
ware, including utensils in Maui County.
Maui implemented a ban on polystyrene foam food service containers on Dec. 31, 2018. The
amendments relating to plastic disposable food ware are in addition to the Department of
Environmental Management's administrative rules already in place for food containers.
[Web Reference Supplied: <https://mauinow.com/2018/12/27/maui-polystyrene-ban-takes-effect-dec-31/>
The Department of Environmental Management's Environmental Protection & Sustainability
Division is responsible for implementation and enforcement of Ordinance No. 5084 relating to
disposable plastic foodware which was passed unanimously by Maui County Council in 2019.
While the administrative rules further clarify the dictates of the ordinance, the restrictions
are already mandated and go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022. [Emphasis in Original Post]
Source: Maui Now Restrictions on Plastic Disposable Foodware Outlined in Proposed Maui Ordinance
Amendment By Wendy Osher, News Director, Pacific Media Group, July 8, 2021
<https://mauinow.com/2021/07/08/restrictions-on-plastic-disposable-foodware-proposed-in-maui-county/>

2. Sources of Marine Plastic
The main sources of marine plastic are land-based, from urban and storm runoff, sewer
overflows, beach visitors, inadequate waste disposal and management, industrial activities,
construction and illegal dumping. Ocean-based plastic originates mainly from the fishing
industry, nautical activities and aquaculture.
Under the influence of solar UV radiation, wind, currents and other natural factors, plastic
fragments into small particles, termed microplastics (particles smaller than 5 mm) or nanoplastics
(particles smaller than 100 nm).
Why is it important?
Plastic pollution is the most widespread problem affecting the marine environment. It also
threatens ocean health, food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism, and contributes to
climate change.
Impacts on marine environment
The most visible and disturbing impacts of marine plastics are the ingestion, suffocation and
entanglement of hundreds of marine species. Marine wildlife such as seabirds, whales, fishes and
turtles, mistake plastic waste for prey, and most die of starvation as their stomachs are filled with
plastic debris. They also suffer from lacerations, infections, reduced ability to swim, and internal
injuries. Floating plastics also contribute to the spread of invasive marine organisms and bacteria,
which disrupt ecosystems.
Impacts on food and health
Invisible plastic has been identified in tap water, beer, salt and are present in all samples
collected in the world’s oceans, including the Arctic. Several chemicals used in the production of
plastic materials are known to be carcinogenic and to interfere with the body’s endocrine system,
causing developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune disorders in both humans and
wildlife.
Toxic contaminants also accumulate on the surface of plastic materials as a result of prolonged
exposure to seawater. When marine organisms ingest plastic debris, these contaminants enter
their digestive systems, and overtime accumulate in the food web. The transfer of contaminants
between marine species and humans through consumption of seafood has been identified as a
health hazard, but has not yet been adequately researched.
Impacts on climate change
Plastic, which is a petroleum product, also contributes to global warming. If plastic waste is
incinerated, it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thereby increasing carbon emissions.
Impacts on tourism
Plastic waste damages the aesthetic value of tourist destinations, leading to decreased tourism-
related incomes and major economic costs related to the cleaning and maintenance of the sites.
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Issues Brief: Marine Plastics
<https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/marine_plastics_issues_brief_final_0.pdf>

3. MAUI BAN ON PLASTIC UTENSILS IS BUT A PIN PRICK
OTHER SINGLE-USE DISPOSABLE PLASTIC PRODUCTS GO UNADDRESSED
There is no doubt that single-use plastics pose a serious threat to the well-being of communities
and ecosystems around the world. If the status quo remains, by 2050 there will be more plastic
than fish in our oceans, and 20% of fossil fuel will be used to make plastic, exacerbating global
carbon emissions. This reality is no less true in Hawaii, where our shorelines are covered in
plastic. At least 220 tons of plastic — equivalent to the weight of 15 school buses — is removed
from Hawaii's shores each year.
[Web Reference Supplied: <https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics>
This incredible effort, which every year costs over $1 million in volunteer hours and
coordination, only scratches the surface of what washes up or sinks into the depths of the ocean.
It barely begins to account for the astonishing amount of microplastic particles that contaminate
our sand.
There is also no doubt that COVID-19 is dealing a serious blow to Hawaii and the world. As with
any crisis, it has been imperative that we focus our attention and respond. What we know now is
that plastic pollution has worsened during the pandemic, brought on by a boom in the use of
disposable plastic items like food takeout containers and PPE. One recent study showed that 129
billion disposable masks and 65 billion gloves are being used each month around the world. A
significant portion of these are winding up in the sea.
[Web Reference Supplied: <https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ppe-pollution-oceans-covid/2020/12/10/91c28e98-3990-11eb-80ac-d1978d86bc9c_story.html>
The Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup data shows that 45% of the debris
collected from Hawaii's shorelines consists of single-use plastic food packaging.
In an emergency, it is easy to lose sight of other things that matter — to let other efforts unravel
or sit on the back burner. But as we begin to rebuild our social and economic health, we have an
incredible opportunity to create a resilient, equitable and healthy future for Hawaii. When it
comes to plastic, the good news is that we have already started. In recent years, all of Hawaii's
major counties have passed important laws to curb our over-reliance on single-use plastics,
including a statewide ban on plastic bags. We can use COVID-19 recovery stimulus funding to
invest in infrastructure to support a zero-waste future. These projects include building
composting facilities that will break down both compostable food packaging and food waste.
Compostable items are made from different materials, including corn, bagasse, banana leaves and
even food waste. Decomposition of these items can take anywhere from several weeks to a few
months depending on the materials and conditions — drastically better than the centuries it takes
plastic to break down. [Web Reference Supplied: <https://fullcyclebioplastics.com/>
But while compostables are better, they still have an impact and should be used judiciously. Bio-
plastics can pose risks to marine life when not properly disposed of. We must continue to
improve compostable materials so they break down as easily and safely as possible.
To understand how much money we are talking about here: The price difference between a
plastic utensil and a compostable one is currently about 3 cents. The price difference between a
polystyrene container and a compostable container is currently about 10 to 15 cents.

4. If a customer declines utensils (which cost about 18 cents total for a compostable fork, knife and
spoon), that more than makes up for the 15 cent difference in cost between a polystyrene and a
compostable container.
Plastic packaging alone creates an estimated $40 billion in negative impacts worldwide,
including ocean pollution, toxic accumulation in our food chain and animal ingestion of, or
entanglement in, plastic. Most of these costs are shouldered by taxpayers and NGOs and are not
reflected in the price of plastic. If we factored in these costs as well as our local expenditures on
incinerators, landfills and plastic pollution removal, would plastic still seem so cheap?
COVID-19 is forcing us to reexamine all of our systems. Even before the pandemic, we in
Hawaii were examining — and tackling — single-use plastic. Our innovation is needed now
more than ever.
___________________________
The Mauimama
<https://mauimama.com/mauis-single-use-plastic-ban-2020/>
MAUI'S SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAN 2020
By Shane Sinenci
`Ano `ai kakou, it is with great anticipation that we work towards passing legislation to restrict
the sale and use of plastic disposable foodware in Maui County. As the Chair of the
Environment, Agriculture and Cultural Preservation (EACP) Committee I am working on a bill
that builds on past county successes to limit plastic bags and the use of foodware polystyrene. We
need to address the growing plastic pollution problem on our island today and follow suit with
other policies adopted in Malibu, Seattle and most recently, the City of Honolulu.
Plastic disposable utensils are a major contributor to street and beach litter, and ocean pollution.
Pollution in our water originates on land and breaks down into microplastics. This is then
ingested by marine animals causing irreparable harm to them and our valuable ocean
environment. For this reason I am introducing a bill that focuses on banning single-use plastic
disposable foodware such as straws, forks, spoons, knives, cups, plates and foam coolers.
If the bill passes this spring it won't go into effect for at least another year. This extra time will
allow local businesses, who use plastic foodware, to expend their inventory and look for other
sustainable options, including those made from locally-sourced plant-based materials.

5. This bill will not restrict certain items, such as packaging for raw or butchered meats like beef,
chicken, seafood and eggs or pre-packaged foods like potato chips or poi. It also exempts the use
of single use plastic for emergency governmental purposes and at hospitals, residential care
homes and other health agencies. The bill also does not address plastic water bottles and
disposable thin shopping bags, both significant contributors to pollution. These items will be
followed up on in separate bills as they require a closer look at federal regulations and market
ready new products.
If you agree with the measure to restrict single-use plastic on Maui please send testimony to
support this bill to EACPcommittee@mauicounty.us.
You can always start now by carrying your own reusable utensils when you are on the go, using a
water flask and refilling instead of buying bottled water and teaching our keiki to reduce, reuse
and recycle.
We should all pledge our commitment to Aloha `Aina values that seek to preserve and protect
our natural island environment for future generations to enjoy.
Please lend your time and kokua for our keiki, Aloha nui kakou!
___________________________
The ocean is the lifeblood of the Earth.
The planet, when seen from space is blue, not green from land or white from ice.
Blue because we are an Ocean planet.
70% of Earth's Oxygen is produced by the ocean.
Without it, we simply would not exist.
Ecosystems both underwater and on the land rely on the ocean.
Our land-based daily lifestyle as consumers is the main cause of Plastic Pollution
in the ocean, negatively impacting marine, terrestrial, freshwater and ecosystems,
and the organisms that live in these habitats.
This needs to stop.