This week, Rhode Island’s Task Force to Tackle Plastics held its first meeting to discuss common single-use consumer plastics such as coffee cups and plastic straws. The Task Force, supported by the state’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM), was established in July under an Executive Order by Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo. It will look to propose legislation, market-based incentives, and education programs to achieve zero-waste goals.
DEM Deputy Director of Environmental Protection Terry Gray suggested at the meeting that the Task Force should also evaluate plastic pollution from industrial sources, noting that only five percent of all plastics are recycled or reused.
For more information on the meeting, see here.
