The Falmouth Conservation Commission has started a new effort to mitigate the impact of single-use plastics on the environment.
Plastic products degrade into microplastics, which can harm the environment, conservation commission member Sarah Boudreau said, and they can also contain PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” which can cause serious human health issues.
The Falmouth Conservation Commission has put up signs at the Town Landing as part of its effort to reduce the impact of plastics on the environment. Contributed / Nancy Lightbody
“The more we learn about PFAS, the more horrified we become,” Boudreau said.
The conservation commission is encouraging residents to reduce their use of single-use plastics, such as plastic cutlery, takeout drink cups, water bottles, drinking straws and bags. Roadside litter containing microplastics contributes to the problem, so residents are asked to pick up litter when they come across it.
In May, the commission plans to hold an Earth Day roadside clean up at three or four locations along Route 1. Local businesses have been supportive of the effort in the past, commission Chairperson Nancy Lightbody said, and the commission is confident the cleanup will be a success again this year.
Meanwhile, “little things” have already been done to reduce the impact of single-use plastic, Lightbody said, including the installation of signs at the Town Landing reminding boaters and others to keep plastic out of the water.
“Everyone knows that they want to stop it, but there’s no surefire cure to keeping plastic out of the ocean and out of the water,” she said.
Resident involvement is key to the effort, said Falmouth Sustainability Coordinator Theresa Galvin.
“The commission is really excited to get as many people involved as possible,” Galvin said. “Hopefully, we can turn this into more of a regional effort.”
In July of 2021, Maine became the first state to pass an Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging law, which requires big corporations and manufacturers to help pay for the environmental cost of their packaging.
While the EPR law is still in the process of being established, Boudreau believes it will operate through deposits on all products wrapped in plastic, which might make consumers think twice about buying those products.
“I think the EPR law is going to be a game changer,” Boudreau said. “Maine has been an innovator with that.”
The commission encourages the public to contact state and local representatives to communicate the importance of passing bills that will help limit the negative effects of plastic on the environment.
The commission also plans to hold a public forum in the fall, aimed at educating Falmouth residents about the dangers of microplastics and what they can do to limit their impact on the local environment.
“It’s really great to see support from all over the state,” Lightbody said. “We have a responsibility here to do the right thing.”
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