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The Fight Against Single-Use Plastic Makes Its Way to Columbia

So far in 2018, the Congaree Riverkeeper, along with 147 volunteers, have collected over 6,500 pounds or trash and debris from our local rivers and streams.

There's another video making the rounds on social media showing a trash covered coastline in the Dominican Republic — but maybe that doesn't hit home.

Instead, try looking at local Facebook pages of the Congaree River keeper, or the Palmetto Paddlers. There you'll see photos of local trash cleanup efforts right here in our Columbia waterways.

There's a fight against single use plastics, notably plastic bags and straws, which are the two major items facing the most scrutiny lately.

"They don't biodegrade. They end up lasting 200 years and then finally they might break down into very very small particles and end up in our marine life, into the fish," says Jacq Buck, executive director of Keep the Midlands Beautiful.

We'll start by talking about plastic bags, which are actually recyclable, however most recycling centers don't take them because they can clog up the machinery. But, by now, we all know there's so many other options, such as recyclable paper bags, reusable canvas bags.

In front of many of our local grocery stores, you'll also find bins specifically for plastic bags. There's also bins for things like paper bags or foam trays.

Companies like Tex even use recycled plastic bags to make their products. They take things like shopping bags, bread bags, sandwich bags, bubble wrap, cereal bags, all those things you can't put in your recycle bin.

Unfortunately, straws are extraordinarily hard to recycle, and it seems no one is doing it.

Buck says, "I have not seen any literature, or anything that's come out that says there's a collection site, or anything that we can do with straws. we're asking people just to stop sucking."

And the fight against straws doesn't seem to be going away. There are some alternatives for those as well, like metal, glass, bamboo or paper straws, those are either biodegradable, or machine washable.

"I'm trying to do my part in saving our oceans and saving our wildlife so that the awesome snapper I'm gonna order for dinner doesn't have parts of my straw, or your straw in it," Buck said.

So far in 2018, the Congaree Riverkeeper, along with 147 volunteers, have collected over 6,500 pounds or trash and debris from our local rivers and streams. Plastic bags are among the most common items found.

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