Thursday, November 21, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Friday, November 1, 2019
Eco-Lawyers to Sue EPA Over Hawaii Plastic Pollution
By News Release @ 12:04 AM :: 3028 Views :: Environment

Lawsuit Launched Over Trump Administration’s Failure to Recognize Plastic Pollution in Hawaiian Waters

News release from Center for Biological Diversity, October 31, 2019

HONOLULU—The Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal notice today of its intent to sue the Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency for failing to protect Hawaiian waters contaminated by plastic pollution.

Scientific studies have found that 17 water bodies around the Hawaiian Islands are impaired by plastic pollution. They include the waters off Kamilo Beach, nicknamed “Plastic Beach” due to the amount of garbage that accumulates on its shores.

“The plastic pollution crisis is already wreaking havoc on Hawaii’s beaches and coastal waters, so the Trump administration needs to act now,” said Emily Jeffers, a staff attorney with the Center. “Officials first need to acknowledge the problem. Then we have to clean up the plastic that's fouling the coastline and contaminating marine life.”

The Clean Water Act requires the EPA to list all water bodies that are failing to meet state water-quality standards. But the agency has failed to consider available data on plastic pollution and has not listed any waters as impaired by plastic.

Hawaii needs ocean waters to be free of pollutants to adequately support marine life and the conservation of coral reefs. Once a water body is designated as “impaired,” officials must act to reduce the pollution.

Plastic pollution poses a serious threat to Hawaii’s water quality and vulnerable marine ecosystems. Microplastics, or plastics that have broken into tiny pieces, are emerging as a major threat to marine wildlife and water quality. Microplastics can absorb environmental toxins and get eaten by fish and other marine animals, then eventually be consumed by humans.

“At beaches where our cultural practitioners use to collect limu, or our keiki used to gather shells, now we see only plastic,” said Maxx Phillips, the Center’s Hawaii director. “Ocean plastic pollution is a global epidemic that Hawaii is paying the price for. Identifying Hawaiian waters that are impaired is an important first step in combating this serious problem.”

Plastic pollution has been accumulating in our oceans for decades and is expected to outweigh all the fish the sea by 2050. Much of that plastic comes from Asian countries that process American plastic waste. But surveys have found a significant percentage of the plastics contaminating Hawaii’s waters originate within the state.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii