SB 544 “would eliminate roughly 1.1 million tons of single-use plastics in the state by 2030 [and] nearly 6 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions avoided, roughly the same emissions produced by over 1 million gas-powered vehicles over the course of a year,” said Dr. Brandon in her testimony.

SALEM, OR – Today, Dr. Anja Brandon, Associate Director of U.S. Plastics Policy for Ocean Conservancy and an engineer and material science expert, will testify at a hearing today, at 1PM PST before the Oregon state Senate’s Committee On Energy and Environment in support of SB 543, SB 544 and SB 545 – all bills aimed at addressing the plastic pollution crisis:

• SB 543 prohibits the use of expanded polystyrene foam (i.e., Styrofoam) containers in prepared food sales.
• SB 544 focuses on the reduction of single-use plastics and would achieve a 25% reduction compared to 2023 levels by 2030.
• SB 545 allows and encourages the use of customer-owned, refillable containers at food establishments.

Scientists estimate that some 11 million metric tons of plastics enter the ocean every year. Data from 35 years of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup show that the majority of the most common items littering our beaches and waterways are single-use plastic packaging and food ware.

An Oregon resident herself, Dr. Brandon has been instrumental in the negotiations and drafting of several federal and state policies aimed at addressing the plastics pollution crisis, including California’s SB54, as well as the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021 and the Protecting Communities From Plastic Act, both introduced by Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Merkley, along with Sen. Booker and Reps. Huffman and Lowenthal. Dr. Brandon was also appointed to the Oregon Truth in Labeling Task Force, part of the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act signed by Governor Kate Brown (D-OR) in August 2021.

“Plastics have become so pervasive that we are now finding them everywhere we look — from the trails of Mount Hood and the shores of Cannon Beach to the food we eat and air we breathe,” said Dr. Brandon. “The most effective way to address this crisis is by making less plastics, period. Ocean Conservancy estimates that SB 544 would eliminate 1.1 million tons of single-use plastics in Oregon by 2030. We applaud Sen. Sollman for introducing this comprehensive package that will help protect our state and its residents from the impacts of plastic pollution.”

Ocean Conservancy is part of a coalition of environmental groups supporting this bill, which includes Environment Oregon, the Surfrider Foundation, Oceana, Oregon Environmental Council and others.

Dr. Brandon’s full written testimony can be found HERE.

More information on the hearing can be found HERE and the livestream will be available HERE starting at 1pm PST on February 14, 2023.

Photos of plastic pollution cleanup events in Oregon, courtesy of Ocean Conservancy, can be found HERE.

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