The mission of the Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network (VPPPN) is to promote and facilitate coordination, collaboration, and communication among groups working to reduce plastic pollution throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. | | |
Welcome to the VP3N
Our Next Virtual Meeting is Tuesday, July 15th at 2PM
In this edition:
- VP3N Monthly Meeting July 15th - CVW Coming Full Circle - Zach Huntington, Clean Virginia Waterways
- New VP3N Members, Join VP3N
- Virginia Waterways Cleanup
- Kick Off National Public Lands Day 2025!
- CBF'S Clean the Bay Day 2025 Results are in!
- Join our Monthly Virginia Plastic Bag Tax Call
- Save the Date - September 9th: CVW's Annual Stormwater and Plastic Pollution Workshop
- Save the Date - September 27th: CVW's 1st Annual Paddle for Cleaner Waterways
- VP3N June Partner of the Month - VA Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program
- 16th Annual Upper Occoquan River Cleanup
- The Expanded Polystyrene Ban Has Begun!
- Watch the June VP3N Meeting
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Reduce Plastic - July Tip of the Month - It's Plastic-Free July!
*Newsletter content is provided by VPPPN members
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VP3N Meeting - July 15th from 2-3 PM
CVW Coming Full Circle
Zach Huntington, Clean Virginia Waterways
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Zach Huntington, Marine Debris Strategy Director
for CVW will present Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW) detailed research and policy report: Coming Full Circle: The Past and Proposed Future Impact of Recycling-Refunds on Reducing Mismanaged Solid Waste in the 21st Century. The comprehensive report explores how deposit-refund systems, often referred to as "bottle bills," have historically reduced litter and waste, and examines how modern recycling-refund programs could dramatically cut plastic pollution and mismanaged solid waste in Virginia and across the United States.
As communities and policymakers search for effective strategies to tackle the growing problem of plastic waste, the CVW report offers timely insights. Drawing on decades of research, case studies, and expert analysis, Coming Full Circle documents the success of existing recycling-refund programs in the U.S., while outlining policy recommendations tailored for 21st-century challenges. The full report is available HERE.
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/rfr-tygg-fry
Or dial: (US) +1 620-878-0718 PIN: 528 875 567#
| | Members of the Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network (VPPPN) are organizations that are working on issues related to plastic pollution including non-profits, educational facilities, businesses, trade industries, researchers and governmental agencies. | | VIRGINIA WATERWAYS CLEANUP | |
Clean Virginia Waterways is gearing up for the 2025 Virginia Waterways Cleanup!
Are you ready to help us protect Virginia’s beautiful waterways and make a meaningful impact? Join us for the Virginia Waterways Cleanup, part of the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup. For over 30 years, this impactful movement has not only improved our waterways but also provided valuable data across the state. Together, we can create real change!
Since 1995, with the help of over 131,000 volunteers, we’ve removed 5.1 million pounds of debris from Virginia’s shores and waterways. But there’s still work to be done, and we need YOUR help to continue this important mission!
The Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup Day is scheduled for Saturday, September 20, 2025. Meanwhile, the Virginia Waterways Cleanup extends from August through November, offering numerous opportunities to get involved. You can choose to lead a cleanup or inform us if your group, business, or organization already has one planned, and contribute valuable data at any time during this period.
Thank you to the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund for their grant to pay for supplies for this year's ICC. This grant is supported by funds generated from the sale of Friend of the Chesapeake license plates.
CLICK HERE If you or your organization would like to SPONSOR this year's Virginia Waterways Cleanup or contact Terra@CleanVirginiaWaterways.org for more
information.
| | | | Kick Off National Public Lands Day 2025! | | |
For more than 30 years, National Public Lands Day (NPLD) has inspired hundreds of thousands of volunteers from communities like yours to give back to our nation’s public lands and waters. On Saturday, September 27, your community can be a part of America’s largest single-day of service for public lands to celebrate and care for our precious natural resources.
The National Environmental Education Foundation is offering an engaging webinar with tips that will multiply your resources for National Public Land Day! Learn how local organizations and land managers are leveraging free or low-cost community resources, techniques, and technology to improve recruitment and event quality, with real-world examples from their featured speakers.
Innovative, Low-cost Ways to Maximize Your NPLD Event Tuesday, July 29, 3-4 p.m. ET on Zoom
| | CBF'S Clean the Bay Day 2025 Results are in! | | |
On June 7, 65 partners gathered approximately 3,406 volunteers at 200 sites across Virginia, removing a total of 70,823 pounds of litter and debris from beaches, parks, shorelines, streams, rivers, streets, and lakes.
Trash & Treasures
- Most common items: plastic and glass bottles, plastic wrappers, plastic bags, and cigarette butts.
- Largest items: 8-foot pipe, a plastic car fender, and a headboard.
- Most Unusual items: Santa’s reindeer, dentures, a paintball gun, a fresh cup of salsa, a marble countertop, and Hot Wheels underwear!
| Join our Monthly Virginia Plastic Bag Tax Call | |
When: August 6th @ 10:30 (first Wed of each month)
Where: Google Meet
What: VP3N started a monthly plastic bag tax call for our members. Our scheduled meeting time is the first Wednesday of the month at 10:30am. If you would like to be added to the email list for this call, please email Joseph@cleanvirginiawaterways.org.
Details: Any city or county in Virginia may impose a 5₵ tax on each disposable plastic bag provided to shoppers in local grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies. The city or county needs to pass an ordinance to begin applying this tax.
The store collects the tax at the time of the sale. Money raised by this tax goes to support environmental cleanup, litter and pollution mitigation, or environmental education efforts, or to provide reusable bags to recipients of SNAP or WIC benefits.
For more information, please see Guidelines for the Virginia Disposable Plastic Bag Tax.
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Save the Date - September 9th
CVW's Annual Stormwater and Plastic Pollution Workshop
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When: Tuesday, 9/9/25 from 11AM - 5PM
Where: Pocahontas State Park, Swift Creek Banquet Hall
10301 State Park Rd., Chesterfield, VA 23832 (and virtually)
Why: Hear from stormwater managers and plastic pollution experts and provide input for the update to the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan.
Clean Virginia Waterways will be hosting the 8th Annual Stormwater and Litter Prevention Workshop on Tuesday, September 9th at Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield, VA and virtually. Hear from stormwater managers and plastic pollution experts during this day-long workshop. This will be another opportunity to provide input for the update to the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan. Save the date and contact Terra@CleanVirginiaWaterways.org with any questions.
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Save the Date - September 27th
CVW's 1st Annual Paddle for Cleaner Waterways
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When: September 27, 2025 @ 1 PM
Where: Long Creek
Why: A fundraiser for CVW to spread education and awareness for keeping Virginia's Waterways clean and free of pollution!
Join us for a 3 mile or 1 mile Paddle for Cleaner Waterways on Long Creek in Virginia Beach. We are looking for registrants, volunteers, sponsors, and organizations around Virginia to participate and support this awesome effort to spread awareness and education for Clean Virginia Waterways to enhance the health of Virginia’s water resources through pollution prevention, education, and stewardship activities involving Virginians from the classroom to the boardroom.
Whether you are a seasoned kayaker, canoer, or SUP paddler or just want to take some lessons, we will have a little bit of everything to offer all registrants, including an AFTER PARTY!
Keep your eyes out for the registration page and sponsorship information coming your way soon! Please contact Terra@CleanVirginiaWaterways.org with any questions regarding participation or sponsorship!
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VP3N July Partner of the Month
VA Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM)
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The CZM Program
co-founded the VP3N in 2020
It's safe to say that CZM is the glue that helps hold the VP3N together. Not only did they help get the VP3N started, but they continue to support CVW's work to organize and maintain the VP3N through a CZM grant funded by NOAA. Their support of the VP3N has enabled CVW to host dozens of meetings with many marine debris and litter prevention experts since 2020; build an informative website and increase social media presence to inform our partners and educate the public; and assist with communication, collaboration and coordination between dozens of organizations around Virginia working to implement the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan and more. Thank you for your continued support CZM!
| | 16th Annual Upper Occoquan River Cleanup | | The Expanded Polystyrene Ban Has Begun! | | |
From the DEQ Newsroom: Expanded Polystyrene, or EPS foam, is often used in food packaging and takeout containers. It is very lightweight, does not biodegrade, and is frequently seen as litter. In the water, animals can mistake toxic foam pieces for food. As a result of these issues, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation to phase out EPS foam use in food establishments such as restaurants, food trucks, and cafeterias. On July 1, 2025, food establishments with 20 or more locations in the Commonwealth were to stop using EPS containers, and by July 1, 2026, all remaining food establishments must comply.
By law, a locality may grant an exemption to a food vendor if they can demonstrate that compliance with the new requirement would impose undue economic hardship on the food vendor. For more information, visit DEQ’s foam-free resources webpage.
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Watch the June VP3N Meeting
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Did you miss the last meeting?
Follow the link below for the June, 2025 VP3N meeting including a presentation by Joseph Barnes, "A Collaborative Approach to Implementing the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan." Check out Joseph's Marine Debris Information Hub at https://vamarinedebriscoalition-odu-geosea.hub.arcgis.com/
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Plastic Free July™ is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. PlasticFreeJuly.org provides a plethora of resources including pledges, posters, videos, and the plastic-free calendar to help spread the word about reducing your use of single-use plastics.
VP3N Member, Lynnhaven River NOW, is participating in the W.I.L.D. Challenge (which stands for Walk Intentionally, Live Differently), a free, app-based event hosted on the JouleBug platform, where participants complete and log eco-friendly actions that reduce their environmental footprint.
With over 140 actions to choose from—ranging from meal prepping and composting to choosing reusable products and conserving water—there’s something for everyone. Each action you log earns points, tracks your positive impact, and moves your team closer to the top of the leaderboard.
Check out their website to learn more and join the challenge!
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The VP3N Monthly E-Newsletter Wants
YOUR INPUT!
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If you would like to have your upcoming event (or publication) mentioned in the monthly VPPPN eNewsletter, write a paragraph with the following information, and email it to VirginiaPPPN@gmail.com.
FORMAT: Submissions to the VPPPN monthly eNewsletter must be sent as a Word or Pages document or as text in an e-mail. Word limit: 150. You can also send us a photo, logo, or flyer as a JPG.
CONTENT: Include the title, time, date and place of the event or program, and a phone number (with area code) or e-mail address of a contact person. State if the program is free or has a fee; has an age requirement or other restrictions; or has a registration deadline or welcomes drop-ins. Also include the name of the group sponsoring the event, and a website (if available) for more information.
Are you reading a book about plastics, environmental justice, ocean sustainability and health or another related topic? What about a podcast series relevant to plastic pollution or marine debris? We want to know so we can share that information with other VPPPN members!
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Please Support the
Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network
| Please consider a donation to support the VPPPN if you have found it to be valuable to you and your organization. We would appreciate your support of $10, $20 or more. Member organizations that donate $100 or more will have their logo and website link featured on the VPPPN website. | | | | |
