,,iii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #cbj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #ad1
 #bjbe,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself1 ,mr4  
,booker1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mr4 ,van     
,hollen1 ,mr4 ,welch1 and ,mr4          
,whitehouse7 submitted the following    
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on the ,judiciary            
,,resolution  ,designating ,july #bjbe  
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 ,whereas approximately         
#dfj1jjj1jjj tons of plastic are        
produced each year1 a number that is    
projected to triple by #bjej2 ,whereas1 
in the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 the rate  
of plastic waste recycling decreased in 
#bjba to between #d and #f percent2 and 
7#b7 less than #c percent of plastic    
waste is recycled into a similar quality
 product2 ,whereas a study from the     

,organization for ,economic ,cooperation
 and ,development found that1 in #bjbd1 
the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 mismanaged #c
 percent of plastic waste2  7#b7        
landfilled #gc percent of plastic waste2
  7#c7 incinerated #ai percent of       
plastic waste2 and  7#d7 recycled #e    
percent of plastic waste2 ,whereas      
single-use plastics account for not less
 than #dj percent of the plastic        
produced every year2 ,whereas more than 
#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   
,whereas1 as of the date of adoption of 
this resolution1 studies estimate that  
there are approximately                 
#aga1jjj1jjj1jjj1jjj pieces of plastic  
in the oceans of the world2 ,whereas1 of
 those #aga1jjj1jjj1jjj1jjj pieces of   
plastic in the ocean1 #a percent floats1
 #e percent washes up on beaches1 and   
#id percent sinks to the bottom2        

,whereas more than #b1jjj marine species
 have consumed plastics2 ,whereas       
plastics1 and associated chemicals of   
plastics1 are ingested by humans and are
 associated with well-established human 
health risks2 ,whereas studies show that
 scientists have found microplastic     
particles in the blood1 lungs1 colons1  
breastmilk1 livers1 feces1 sputum1 and  
placentas of humans2 ,whereas studies   
suggest that humans ingest up to        
#a1ejj1jjj microplastic particles per   
day2 ,whereas taking action to reduce   
plastic production and use1 to collect  
and clean up litter1 and to reuse and   
recycle more plastics will lead to less 
plastic pollution2 ,whereas1 every      
,july1 individuals challenge themselves 
to reduce their plastic footprint       
through ,plastics ,free ,july2 ,whereas1
 during the #ej-year period preceding   
the date of adoption of this resolution1
 more than #ah1jjj1jjj volunteers have  
joined the ,international ,coastal      
,cleanup to collect more than           

#chj1jjj1jjj pounds of plastic and      
debris while simultaneously recording   
their findings to inform research and   
upstream action2 ,whereas switching to  
reusable items instead of single-use    
items can prevent waste1 save water1 and
 reduce litter2 and ,whereas ,july #bjbe
 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     
#bjbe 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 public health and 
the environment by responsibly          
participating in activities to reduce   
plastic pollution in ,july #bjbe and    
year-round4