Viewpoint: Support bill to rid Montana water of plastics
Alena Flocchini
When we order takeout food, Styrofoam seems like a nice convenience. It keeps your soup warm for the 20-minute drive back home. But the durability of this material makes it last for thousands of years past its 20-minute human use, breaking into smaller and smaller pieces of microplastics.
Recent studies are finding microplastics in essentially every aspect of life on Earth, including remote areas of the Antarctic, countless fish and wildlife, the human brain, bloodstream, and even unborn fetuses.
Studies have also linked these microplastics to severe health issues, making it clear that plastic materials need to be better regulated in order to protect public health. HB 477, a bill to phase out polystyrene single-use food containers, would provide the opportunity for the State of Montana to take a step in the direction of protecting its citizens and wildlife from these potentially detrimental impacts of plastics materials.
With last year’s restriction on local government regulating plastics, this statewide regulation is an avenue for cohesive laws across the state. HB 477 will have a hearing in the Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 24th, where you can testify in support of this bill.
I urge you to also submit public comment or call your legislators and support this bill in the current Montana Legislative Session.