[GreenYes] RE: [html][heur] [GreenYes] Re: Series of blunders turned the plastic bag into globalvillain

["Pete Pasterz" <PAPasterz@no.address>]

My reply initially went to Nancy Poh, the original poster:

 

"Interesting....but certainly marine animal deaths are not the only, or even most prominent, reasons being given for bag bans.   The research cited here is quite dated...much of it is 20+ years old, and the 40-year old study from 1968 which showed plastic bags did have an impact would certainly be under representative as the number of bags then was miniscule as compared to today.   Where are the current studies??  Is there no research, or was it omitted from the article to make the desired editorial point?  The article also seems to only address entanglement, which is not the only peril of interactions with plastic.  Ingestion of plastics mistaken for food was not mentioned, with the exception perhaps of the 40 year old albatross study.  I wonder what the research on the Pacific Plastic Gyre is showing on bag-related mortality?"

 

I since did some research on the Greenpeace scientist quoted.   I'm a little skeptical about the veracity of the quote, since he is the co-author of a Greenpeace research paper which summarizes research that outlines the problems of plastics in the oceans including mortality due to ingestion....although he may have indeed been referring only to entanglement in this statement, but this is hard to determine out of context...I still stand by my concerns about needing to see more recent study in light of the plastic gyre and increased volumes.

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From: GreenYes@no.address [mailto:GreenYes@no.address] On Behalf Of Jewell, Rebecca
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 11:26 AM
To: GreenYes@no.address
Subject: [html][heur] [GreenYes] Re: Series of blunders turned the plastic bag into globalvillain
Importance: Low

I'm surprised there hasn't been much response to this on the list... What do people think about these claims??

Rebecca Jewell
Recycling Programs Manager
Davis Street Station for Material Recycling & Transfer
A Waste Management company
510-563-4214

Fun Fact: Waste Management recycled more than 5 million tons of commodities last year; preventing the release of more than 3.4 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

-----Original Message-----
From: GreenYes@no.address [mailto:GreenYes@no.address]On Behalf Of Nancy Poh
Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2008 7:46 PM
To: GreenYes@no.address
Subject: [GreenYes] Series of blunders turned the plastic bag into global villain

Extracted from TimesOnLine

Scientists and environmentalists have attacked a global campaign to ban plastic bags which they say is based on flawed science and exaggerated claims.

The widely stated accusation that the bags kill 100,000 animals and a million seabirds every year are false, experts have told The Times. They pose only a minimal threat to most marine species, including seals, whales, dolphins and seabirds.

Read full article from this link:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3508263.ece

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