,,iii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #fig  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #bc1
 #bjbb,mr4 ,merkley submitted the       
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on the ,judiciary    
,,resolution  ,designating ,july #bjbb  
as ,plastic ,pollution ,action ,month4  
,whereas plastic pollution represents a 
global threat that will require         
individual and collective action1 both  
nationally and internationally1 to      
address2 ,whereas1 since the #aiejs1    
over #h1jjj1jjj1jjj tons of plastic have
 been produced worldwide2 ,whereas1 in  
the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 just #i      
percent of plastic waste is sorted for  
recycling2 and  7#b7 less than #c       
percent of plastic waste is recycled    
into a similar quality product2 ,whereas
 a recent study found that1 despite the 
,united ,states only accounting for #d  
percent of the global population in     
#bjaf1 in that same year the ,united    
,states-- 7#a7 generated #ag percent of 

all plastic waste2 and  7#b7 ranked     
third among all countries contributing  
to coastal plastic pollution2 ,whereas  
single-use plastics account for at least
 #dj percent of the plastic produced    
every year2 ,whereas over #ab1jjj1jjj   
tons of plastic waste enter the ocean   
every year from land-based sources      
alone2 ,whereas1 if no action is taken1 
the flow of plastics into the ocean is  
expected to triple by #bjdj2 ,whereas   
studies estimate that there are between 
#ae1jjj1jjj1jjj1jjj and                 
#ea1jjj1jjj1jjj1jjj pieces of plastic in
 the oceans2 ,whereas1 globally1        
#ajj1jjj marine mammals die every year  
as a result of plastic pollution2       
,whereas plastics1 and associated       
chemicals of plastics1 directly impact  
human health2 ,whereas studies suggest  
that1 every week1 humans swallow the    
amount of plastic that is in a credit   
card2 ,whereas taking action to reduce  
plastic use1 collect and clean up       
litter1 and reuse and recycle more      

plastics will lead to less plastic      
pollution2 ,whereas1 every ,july1 people
 challenge themselves to reduce their   
plastic footprint through ,plastics     
,free ,july2 ,whereas1 during the       
,international ,coastal ,cleanup in     
#bjbj1 nearly #iej1jjj people across the
 globe cleaned up over #aj1jjj tons of  
plastic from beaches2 ,whereas switching
 to reusable items instead of single-use
 items can prevent waste1 save water1   
and reduce litter2 and ,whereas ,july   
#bjbb is an appropriate month to        
designate as ,plastic ,pollution ,action
 ,month to recommit to taking action1   
individually and as a country1 to reduce
 plastic pollution3 ,now1 therefore1 be 
it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 designates  
,july #bjbb as ,plastic ,pollution      
,action ,month2  7#b7 recognizes the    
dangers to human health and the         
environment posed by plastic pollution2 
and  7#c7 encourages all individuals in 
the ,united ,states to protect1         
conserve1 maintain1 and rebuild the     

environment by responsibly participating
 in activities to reduce plastic        
pollution in ,july #bjbb and year-round4