October 2023

Welcome to the Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network (VPPPN).

In this edition:

• Next Meeting is Tuesday, October 17 at 2 pm
• Special guest speaker: Wayne Jones
• Reduce Plastic Tip of the Month
• DEQ FREE workshop: on developing and strengthening your environmental programs
• Examples of Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan Partners at Work
• Ocean Conservancy Report: Fighting for Trash Free Seas®
• Environment Virginia - Beyond Plastic
• International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia Sign-Up

October Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network Meeting

The Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network will have a meeting on Zoom on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 (2:00 to 3:30 p.m.).

The meeting will be available on zoom: https://longwood-edu.zoom.us/j/91875475043

Aluminum cans can be recycled indefinitely AND most localities DO RECYCLE aluminum. Next time you are purchasing your favorite beverage

Choose Aluminum

Please join the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of Pollution Prevention for a FREE workshop on developing and strengthening your environmental programs. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 24, 8:30-5 and join businesses from around the region for a day of learning and networking. 

DEQ’s Office of Pollution Prevention manages the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP). VEEP is a voluntary program to encourage and assist facilities and organizations to go above and beyond compliance and be environmental stewards. VEEP participants are recognized for their accomplishments and are eligible for permit fee discounts, a dedicated point of contact at DEQ, and opportunities for networking and mentoring. 

At the Valley Region VEEP Workshop you'll hear about creating environmental programs that encourage employee buy-in, developing your EMS, DEQ regulatory requirements, and how to find pollution prevention opportunities. The workshop will be held at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, Virginia.

In addition to updates from DEQ staff you will hear from speakers with the Virginia Port Authority, Virginia Clean Cities, and the Community Climate Collaborative. What past VEEP Workshop attendees have said: 

“Regulatory speakers were very informative.” 

“Great ideas from other participants.” 

“It was an excellent workshop.” 

This is a free event open to everyone, but you must be registered in advance. 

Location: Zoom or in-person at Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, VA

Date: Tuesday, October 24, 8:30-5

Register

Update: Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan Partners at Work

• Textile Waste Event was held Sept. 28, 2023: Microplastics Expert to Bring Fast Fashion Awareness Message to VCU Students

• There has been a general decline in single-use plastic bags observed in streams across Fairfax County over the past four years. During this time, Fairfax County enacted a 5-cent bag fee.



Guided by nearly 40 years of ICC data from around the world, this report provides guidance on policies and strategies that reduce plastics at their source through three steps:



1. Reducing the amount of plastics being produced, including by banning some of the most polluting items;
2. Redesigning other single-use plastic items to be part of the circular economy;
3. Revamping our recycling system.

By homing in on the items most collected by ICC volunteers, this charter provides the tools and guidance needed to meet the goal of plastic-free beaches.

Read the entire report here!

Environment Virginia Educates

Beyond Plastics

Missed last months Environment Virginia plastics webinars? No worries, you can accessed the recordings below:

One & Done: Eliminating Single Use Plastics

Plastic Soup: Cleaning Our Waterways

75 Years of Recycling: Is it our future?

Check out the Environment Virginia - Beyond Plastic website for opportunities to take action, learn more about plastics and for planning tips on plastic free living.

YEAR ROUND - International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia

(organized by Clean Virginia Waterways)

Sign up for the 2023 Virginia Waterways Cleanup Initiative

The International Coastal Cleanup has kicked off STATEWIDE in Virginia, and cleanup events continue through November. Now is the time to sign up to be a local cleanup coordinator for your favorite beach, marsh, stream and riverbank. Volunteers throughout Virginia turn out in large numbers each year for this event, which is organized by Clean Virginia Waterways, and is part of an international campaign organized by the Ocean Conservancy in Washington, DC. Participants all over the world collect trash and other marine debris and record what they find. This information is then used to help reduce future marine debris problems. To get involved as a leader or as a volunteer, see https://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/cleanupevents2023.html

CVW encourages cleanup volunteers to collect data about the trash they find. This helps CVW and other organizations understand trends and create solutions to plastic pollution. YEAR-ROUND you can collect data using a paper data card or through the CleanSwell App on your phone. Read more here: http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/VolunteerSiteCaptain.html. 

It can be QUICK and EASY to collect data -- just assign one or two volunteers to walk the cleanup area collecting data. They do not pickup litter-- just record what they are seeing. That leaves all your other volunteers free to concentrate on removing litter.