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pollution

Last Stand Against Chemical Conversion

Crossover, which is a like a legislative version of the “Red Rover, Red Rover” game has happened at the General Assembly and all bills have transferred between the House and Senate. SB 1164 the bill that will classify chemical conversion as a manufacturing process instead of a Solid Waste facility /process will be heard by

by Zach Huntington February 7, 2021
Virginia is for Polluters

This short legislative session has been a real test on our one last good nerve. In reference to SB 1164, the bill that would classify chemical conversion (chemical recycling) as a manufacturing process, the bill co-patron had this pithy quote aimed at environmentalists who have been working overtime presenting testimony and data for why it

by Zach Huntington February 5, 2021
General Assembly Chemical Conversion Action Alert!

The collective advocacy efforts of groups across Virginia has stalled SB 1164, the bill to classify chemical conversion (chemical recycling aka burning plastic to create more plastic to burn) as a manufacturing process. Tomorrow, this bill will be heard by the Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources Committee . This action alert is going to

by Zach Huntington February 1, 2021
Early Updates for the General Assembly, More Bioplastics, and PFAS in Food Packaging.

  To put on everyone’s radar, we are feeling hopeful we’ll be able to have our Earth Daze event at Aslin in Herndon on the 24th of April to Celebrate Earth and Arbor Days, so Save the Date!     Virginia General Assembly: The Virginia General Assembly started yesterday (1/13) and important bills are moving quickly. Yesterday

by Zach Huntington January 14, 2021
The 2021 Virginia General Assembly is Starting!

  Welcome to the 2021 Virginia General Assembly! To stay up to date about the 2021 General Assembly, be sure to follow our legislation tracker (with 2021 bills being added currently) at Litter Free Virginia, and sign up for our email list while your there! During the General Assembly we send out about 1 email

by Zach Huntington January 12, 2021
Fairfax County Delays the Single Use Plastic Bag Fee and Approves New Housing Developments

Fairfax single use plastic bag fee: Last week, The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Environmental Committee discussed the potential $0.05 plastic bag fee. The general consensus from the BOS members in attendance was that they were not ready to go forward instituting the fee for single use plastic bags until the Department of Taxation provides

by Zach Huntington December 16, 2020
America Recycles, but its Corporate Sponsors Don’t

“America Recycles Day” was last Saturday. Recycling is a good thing to do, it has a place in a circular, zero waste society, but it is by no means the answer. There’s a reason it comes at the end of the 5 R’s- Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Rot, Recycle. We cannot recycle our way out of

by Zach Huntington November 19, 2020
Greenwashing All-Stars

We mention the term greenwashing a lot and it is possible folks don’t always know what we’re talking about, it’s whitewashing, but for the environment. It is deliberately trying to conceal unpleasant facts- a cover up, or to sweep something under the rug by making something seem more environmentally friendly than it really is, in

by Zach Huntington November 5, 2020
Best Practices for Waste Reduction and Fossil Fuel’s Future

Japanese Waste Reduction: As we look for best practices to reduce waste we can find inspiration domestically and abroad. There was a great strategy proposed in Japan that would reduce their plastic waste stream by over 50%. In 2018, Japan generated 8.91 million tons of plastic waste, and almost 5 million tons were from the

by Zach Huntington October 27, 2020
Solutions to the Plastic Crisis!

Yesterday, along with constituents of Virginia’s 10th congressional district, we met virtually with a staffer from Congresswoman Wexton’s office to discuss the problems we all face everyday with plastic waste and the importance of the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (BFFPPA). Today we thought we’d share some more information about why this bill is

by Zach Huntington October 8, 2020