Challenging Plastics Pre-emption Laws

October 3, 2024 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Speaker: Moderator: Macy Zander • Speakers: KT Morelli, CJ O'Brien Weddle, Nathan Alley, Youpa Stein

Times are listed in Pacific Standard Time

Alarmed by the emerging science around the health impacts of plastics? Fed up with the pollution caused by unnecessary single-use plastics? Live in a preemption state? Then this session is for you.

In 2008, Florida became the first state to preempt local ordinances on plastic bags. Since then, with concerns about plastic pollution on the rise and no federal regulation of plastics on the horizon, nearly 20 U.S. states have passed preemption laws that restrict municipalities from regulating single-use plastics. What states are rolling out the red carpet for plastics? What is the source of the so-called ban on bans? What is being done to combat or subvert these laws that hamstring local action and put us all at risk?

In this session, four speakers will discuss their varied approaches to counter these laws in different states. From local movement building to lawsuits, ballot initiatives, and education, these speakers will share strategies and tactics that may be replicable in other preemption states.

Moderator: Macy Zander, Local Reuse Manager, Upstream

Speakers:

  • KT Morelli, Organizer, Breathe Free Detroit
  • CJ O’Brien Weddle, Ocean Friendly Programs Manager, Surfrider Foundation
  • Nathan Alley, Conservation Program Coordinator, Sierra Club Ohio
  • Youpa Stein, Co-Chair Plastic Working Group, Families for a Livable Climate