Plastics in our Backyard

Plastic water bottles, plastic straws and lids, plastic cups, plastic sheeting, styrofoam, plastic ice bags, plastic zip ties, plastic lumber tags, plastic silverware, plastic to-go containers, plastic liquor bottles, plastic snack food wrappers and bags…and this is just some of the plastic roadside trash my Adopt-a-Highway friends and I have been picking up along Highway 14 in Camas and Washougal over the past 5 years!  There is an astronomical amount of trash along our roadways in our county and in our state. And this trash is not only undesirable to see, but it also has undesirable effects on our environment.  

Plastic is not biodegradable and therefore, is never truly gone from the environment. Instead, it breaks down into microplastics which infiltrate groundwater and eventually enter the Columbia River ecosystem. Since Highway 14 runs along the north bank of the Columbia River beginning at I-5 in Vancouver, plastic pollution has taken a toll on our beautiful river.  

I have seen firsthand the way plastics break down in the environment. Many times I’ve picked up a plastic straw or lid only to have it crumble into many pieces. Sunlight breaks plastic polymer chains causing this brittleness. These pieces then get embedded in the soil. Add to this a good Pacific Northwest rain and the plastic pieces breakdown further and sink into the soil and can get carried into aquifers. 

It seems almost impossible to avoid plastic packaging and single use containers. Plastic is so pervasive and commonplace in our society that going to a drive through and getting a coffee or cold beverage in a plastic disposable cup with a lid and straw is a regular activity. Then that container is tossed in a trash can or out a car window. Both results have an effect on our environment. Only about 9% of plastic waste is recycled globally each year. And since plastic’s mainstream introduction in the 1950’s, about 91% has never been recycled.  Instead, it has been landfilled, incinerated, or leaked into the environment.  

Microplastics are so pervasive that they are shockingly now considered a permanent part of human biology.  Avoiding drinking water sold in plastic bottles - think cases of Costco water!- is a significant way to reduce consumption of microplastics.  Buy a reusable stainless steel water bottle and coffee cup.  It will save you not only from ingesting microplastics, but also the expense of disposables. Most coffee shops offer a savings per cup for bringing in your own. Always ask if - even if it’s not posted. You deserve a savings since you’re saving the establishment the cost of a cup too!  

The fossil fuel industry has more than doubled it’s plastic production over the last two decades. This is clearly seen in the noticeable increase in grocery store products packaged in plastic. And despite the commonly seen “chasing arrows” recycling symbol on most plastic packages,  more plastic waste is mismanaged or littered than is collected for recycling.  So we can’t recycle our way out of this. But there are some simple things you can do to decrease your use of plastic and input into the waste stream. You may be familiar with the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  But remember since only about 9% of plastic is actually recycled, I prefer following the 8 R’s;  RETHINK your choices, REFUSE single use, REDUCE consumption, REUSE everything, REFURBISH old stuff, REPAIR before you replace, REPURPOSE what you can, THEN RECYCLE as a last option.  

At times, I and my partners in trash clean-ups definitely feel overwhelmed. However, we remind ourselves to continue to do what we can to clean up our roadways, advocate for a cohesive approach to decreasing litter on our roadways and to be conscientious about our choices. Also consider having conversations with others to bring attention to the problem.  It’s certainly better than doing nothing.  

Lynne Lyne
Adopt-a-Highway volunteer/ECCA volunteer
26 year Camas resident

​