Did you know that when you put your groceries in a plastic bag, that bag could end up in the food that you eat?

Here’s how it happens. Plastic often ends up in the ocean. Exposed to wave action and sunlight, plastic breaks down into small particles called “microplastics.” Those microplastics release toxins into the water, including flame retardants, dioxins, PCBs and pesticides.

Plankton eat microplastic particles, introducing toxins into the marine food web. When fish eat these plankton, the toxins enter into their bodies. People eat the fish and can be exposed to dangerous levels of pollution. Additionally, when contaminated fish are used as animal feed, they can transfer pollutants to chickens, farm-raised fish, and pigs, which could also contain high levels of toxins.

This issue of ingesting toxins all starts with plastic use! Millions of tons of plastic debris pour into marine ecosystems every year. It’s estimated that by 2050, there will bemore plastic garbage than fish in the oceans. Much of this will be single-use packaging. Plastic production is also directly connected to climate change, as 99% of plastics are derived from fossil fuels.

We must address this before it’s too late.

Rep. Alan Lowenthal and Sen. Tom Udall are planning to introduce plastics legislation -- the boldest ever introduced in Congress.

The bill will extend responsibility to plastic producers and plastics companies and address plastic pollution by enacting a ban on some single-use plastic products beginning in 2022, a fee on carryout bags, protection for state and local governments that want to enact tougher plastics laws, and a moratorium on new plastics facilities and updates to clean air and water laws to reduce plastics pollution.

We must urge Congress to support this legislation and address the plastic crisis!