After deliberation and testimony, the House Fish and Wildlife Committee has unanimously voted yes on Vermont’s bill to ban microbeads! With the authoritative support of this key committee, we are excited for the future of this essential bill, and grateful to our allies who were able to testify in support.
And there’s even more good news- as currently written, Vermont’s bill is the strongest microbeads legislation in the nation. Our lawmakers worked diligently to make this the strongest, most comprehensive bill it can be; that’s what we call commitment to Vermont’s waters and marine life. There are many other worthy challenges ahead to protect our natural resources, and we’re so glad to see the session begin with strong support for Vermont’s environment.
VPIRG’s Environmental Advocate, Taylor Johnson, had this to say on today’s success, ““Nobody really needs tiny plastic beads in their soap, especially if these bits of plastic end up polluting our waterways and threating aquatic life. Plastic microbeads should be banned, and this bill does just that.”
So, from all of us here at VPIRG, thank you to the House Fish and Wildlife Committee, and to our members and allies who have helped make banning microbeads a top issue in the beginning of the 2015 Legislative session.