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Local Environmental Group Surfrider Pushes to Reduce Plastic Use

An environmental group wants us to reduce our use of plastic. The bags and bottles litter waterways, roadsides and harm wildlife. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce has details.

Local Environmental Group Surfrider Pushes to Reduce Plastic Use

An environmental group wants us to reduce our use of plastic. The bags and bottles litter waterways, roadsides and harm wildlife. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce has details.

The San Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation plans to push for a ban on the use of plastic grocery bags in San Diego.

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Elizabeth Willes with Surfrider says while the plastic grocery bags are recyclable, most wind up in waterways, along roadsides or in landfills.

Willes : We have submitted an initial proposal to Donna Frye's office to try to get the city of San Diego to pass a plastic bag ban.

She says while Frye may support the proposal, other council members will have to be convinced. Several California cities have banned the bags in the past year including San Francisco.

Willes says one way to cut back on the bags is to use reusable cloth bags. Surfrider also wants to companies to reduce their packaging or use recyclable alternatives. Some recent studies show that the petroleum-laden plastic products can hurt water quality.

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.