Dear Editor:
In the last March Parsippany Council Meeting before the quarantine Mr. Manning made a statement in opposition to the Local Plastic Bag Ban; stating that paper bag production is more pollution and impactful on the environment. Does Mr. Manning realize that, there are trees grown specifically for paper products? Most trees used for paper come from the forest called managed timberlands; the average growth time before harvest is 35 years. Let’s face it, Man’s History is organically connected to wood and stone; that would be a basic.
Another thing to consider and a shortcoming of our wasteful society is the paper products we simply toss in the trash, instead of recycling, as this lost resource of recycled paper products would increase dramatically. We can blame it on our overall lack of encouragement and enforcements in sanitation and material source separation.
So more emphasis on recycling paper products; not more instant waste plastic products is the solution.
Chlorine, Mercury, and Plastic ProductionHow many know/realize plastic productions require mercury and chlorine; most plastics/Styrofoam if burned incorrectly produce dioxin? Plastic a petroleum product which accelerated in production after world war 2, as part of the chemistry makes for better life craze; as technology through industrial chemistry was somehow to replace nature, with no real foresight as to the impacts to be incurred on nature itself; the age of synthetic detergents, pesticides, and plastics took off like a rocket.
Chlorine became the main ingredient in detergent and plastic production. Mercury is necessary for the production of chlorine. (Detergents replaced soap). This is why eating fish became a health risk concerning mercury; and wastewater treatment became complicated, expensive, and perhaps ineffective; stormwater runoff added to the water pollution crisis. These new man-made chemicals were not biodegradable, and are now evident as a hazard in all places.
Extended Producer Responsibility
The problem is there is too much of everything; much of which is not necessary; most of which is plastic convenience instant waste products. People who love their country would surely be disturbed by the present plastic pollution. It can only be dealt with on a massive level, not an individual one. Ask why isn’t our legislatures advocating for “extended producer responsibility”? In the meantime, the plastic plague mounts and infects the future.
Nick Homyak
Lake Hiawatha 07034
