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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThree of the largest U.S. cities take on single-use plastic<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nBetween December 2022 and January 2023, Los Angeles, San Diego,<\/a> and New York City<\/a> all enacted bans or restrictions on single-use plastics, following campaigning by Oceana and its allies. Los Angeles and San Diego banned expanded polystyrene, the plastic foam often used to produce single-use cups, plates, and other foodware. All three cities introduced restrictions on the single-use plastics restaurants are permitted to provide to customers. Los Angeles also extended its single-use plastic bag ban and now requires zero-waste plans for all city buildings and events.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nPanama makes bold commitments to reduce plastic pollution<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nIn March 2023, Panama\u2019s Ministry of Environment<\/a> announced commitments that will put a stop to the more than 160,000 tons of plastic that is imported and consumed in the country each year. The commitments include eliminating the use of single-use plastic items in three years, reducing the import and consumption of plastic packaging by 30% in five years, reducing the import of virgin plastic \u2014 that is, newly-made plastic \u2014 by 20% in seven years, and reducing the import and sale of single-use plastic and virgin plastic by half in 10 years. Panama was the first Central American nation to ban plastic bags and continues to be a leader in the fight to address plastic pollution. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBrazil\u2019s Museum of Tomorrow combats single-use plastics in Rio<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nAlso in March 2023, the Museum of Tomorrow<\/a>, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, became the first \u201cplastic-free zone\u201d in the country. The initiative, which was completed in partnership with Oceana, bans single-use plastics from entering and being distributed or sold within the museum. Oceana is helping the museum replace high-demand plastic items, such as bubble wrap, with plastic-free solutions like honeycomb paper or brown paper. <\/p>\n\n\n\nU.S. Pacific Northwest passes legislation to tackle plastic pollution<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nIn April 2023, the Washington<\/a> State Senate passed House Bill 1085<\/a>, a bill that requires water bottle filling stations to be installed in new buildings that have water fountains and the phase-out of single-use plastics used for toiletries in hotels and other lodging establishments. The law, which passed via a bipartisan vote, also bans soft film-wrapped polystyrene foam floats and docks, platforms that float on bodies of water and take hundreds of years to degrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe following month, the neighboring U.S. state of Oregon passed two bills, Senate Bill 543<\/a> and Senate Bill 545<\/a>, with bipartisan support to reduce plastic pollution. The first bill prohibits polystyrene foam foodware, coolers, and packing peanuts, and bans PFAS, highly toxic substances nicknamed \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d from food packaging starting Jan. 1, 2025. The second bill directs the Oregon Health Authority to update the state\u2019s health code to allow restaurants to use reusable containers when serving their customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\nOceana has achieved 25 victories to reduce and eliminate single-use plastic, and its recent victories across North, Central, and South America show that tides are continuing to change. It is possible to combat plastic pollution \u2013 one of the ocean\u2019s greatest threats. Putting in place local, state, and national policies to reduce plastics at the source will help protect the oceans, communities, and climate.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Panama makes bold commitments to reduce plastic pollution<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nIn March 2023, Panama\u2019s Ministry of Environment<\/a> announced commitments that will put a stop to the more than 160,000 tons of plastic that is imported and consumed in the country each year. The commitments include eliminating the use of single-use plastic items in three years, reducing the import and consumption of plastic packaging by 30% in five years, reducing the import of virgin plastic \u2014 that is, newly-made plastic \u2014 by 20% in seven years, and reducing the import and sale of single-use plastic and virgin plastic by half in 10 years. Panama was the first Central American nation to ban plastic bags and continues to be a leader in the fight to address plastic pollution. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBrazil\u2019s Museum of Tomorrow combats single-use plastics in Rio<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nAlso in March 2023, the Museum of Tomorrow<\/a>, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, became the first \u201cplastic-free zone\u201d in the country. The initiative, which was completed in partnership with Oceana, bans single-use plastics from entering and being distributed or sold within the museum. Oceana is helping the museum replace high-demand plastic items, such as bubble wrap, with plastic-free solutions like honeycomb paper or brown paper. <\/p>\n\n\n\nU.S. Pacific Northwest passes legislation to tackle plastic pollution<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nIn April 2023, the Washington<\/a> State Senate passed House Bill 1085<\/a>, a bill that requires water bottle filling stations to be installed in new buildings that have water fountains and the phase-out of single-use plastics used for toiletries in hotels and other lodging establishments. The law, which passed via a bipartisan vote, also bans soft film-wrapped polystyrene foam floats and docks, platforms that float on bodies of water and take hundreds of years to degrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe following month, the neighboring U.S. state of Oregon passed two bills, Senate Bill 543<\/a> and Senate Bill 545<\/a>, with bipartisan support to reduce plastic pollution. The first bill prohibits polystyrene foam foodware, coolers, and packing peanuts, and bans PFAS, highly toxic substances nicknamed \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d from food packaging starting Jan. 1, 2025. The second bill directs the Oregon Health Authority to update the state\u2019s health code to allow restaurants to use reusable containers when serving their customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\nOceana has achieved 25 victories to reduce and eliminate single-use plastic, and its recent victories across North, Central, and South America show that tides are continuing to change. It is possible to combat plastic pollution \u2013 one of the ocean\u2019s greatest threats. Putting in place local, state, and national policies to reduce plastics at the source will help protect the oceans, communities, and climate.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Brazil\u2019s Museum of Tomorrow combats single-use plastics in Rio<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nAlso in March 2023, the Museum of Tomorrow<\/a>, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, became the first \u201cplastic-free zone\u201d in the country. The initiative, which was completed in partnership with Oceana, bans single-use plastics from entering and being distributed or sold within the museum. Oceana is helping the museum replace high-demand plastic items, such as bubble wrap, with plastic-free solutions like honeycomb paper or brown paper. <\/p>\n\n\n\nU.S. Pacific Northwest passes legislation to tackle plastic pollution<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nIn April 2023, the Washington<\/a> State Senate passed House Bill 1085<\/a>, a bill that requires water bottle filling stations to be installed in new buildings that have water fountains and the phase-out of single-use plastics used for toiletries in hotels and other lodging establishments. The law, which passed via a bipartisan vote, also bans soft film-wrapped polystyrene foam floats and docks, platforms that float on bodies of water and take hundreds of years to degrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe following month, the neighboring U.S. state of Oregon passed two bills, Senate Bill 543<\/a> and Senate Bill 545<\/a>, with bipartisan support to reduce plastic pollution. The first bill prohibits polystyrene foam foodware, coolers, and packing peanuts, and bans PFAS, highly toxic substances nicknamed \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d from food packaging starting Jan. 1, 2025. The second bill directs the Oregon Health Authority to update the state\u2019s health code to allow restaurants to use reusable containers when serving their customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\nOceana has achieved 25 victories to reduce and eliminate single-use plastic, and its recent victories across North, Central, and South America show that tides are continuing to change. It is possible to combat plastic pollution \u2013 one of the ocean\u2019s greatest threats. Putting in place local, state, and national policies to reduce plastics at the source will help protect the oceans, communities, and climate.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
U.S. Pacific Northwest passes legislation to tackle plastic pollution<\/strong> <\/h5>\n\n\n\nIn April 2023, the Washington<\/a> State Senate passed House Bill 1085<\/a>, a bill that requires water bottle filling stations to be installed in new buildings that have water fountains and the phase-out of single-use plastics used for toiletries in hotels and other lodging establishments. The law, which passed via a bipartisan vote, also bans soft film-wrapped polystyrene foam floats and docks, platforms that float on bodies of water and take hundreds of years to degrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe following month, the neighboring U.S. state of Oregon passed two bills, Senate Bill 543<\/a> and Senate Bill 545<\/a>, with bipartisan support to reduce plastic pollution. The first bill prohibits polystyrene foam foodware, coolers, and packing peanuts, and bans PFAS, highly toxic substances nicknamed \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d from food packaging starting Jan. 1, 2025. The second bill directs the Oregon Health Authority to update the state\u2019s health code to allow restaurants to use reusable containers when serving their customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\nOceana has achieved 25 victories to reduce and eliminate single-use plastic, and its recent victories across North, Central, and South America show that tides are continuing to change. It is possible to combat plastic pollution \u2013 one of the ocean\u2019s greatest threats. Putting in place local, state, and national policies to reduce plastics at the source will help protect the oceans, communities, and climate.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The following month, the neighboring U.S. state of Oregon passed two bills, Senate Bill 543<\/a> and Senate Bill 545<\/a>, with bipartisan support to reduce plastic pollution. The first bill prohibits polystyrene foam foodware, coolers, and packing peanuts, and bans PFAS, highly toxic substances nicknamed \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d from food packaging starting Jan. 1, 2025. The second bill directs the Oregon Health Authority to update the state\u2019s health code to allow restaurants to use reusable containers when serving their customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Oceana has achieved 25 victories to reduce and eliminate single-use plastic, and its recent victories across North, Central, and South America show that tides are continuing to change. It is possible to combat plastic pollution \u2013 one of the ocean\u2019s greatest threats. Putting in place local, state, and national policies to reduce plastics at the source will help protect the oceans, communities, and climate.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"