Plastic Waste

Americans generate over 35 million tons of plastic waste each year and less than 6% gets recycled. Our communities are overrun with litter, trash is piling up in our environment, and single-use plastics are polluting our waterways and oceans. Once there, plastic will remain for hundreds of years, if not longer. Single-use plastics, including bags, utensils, straws and polystyrene containers, are a profound threat to global environmental and public health.

The Upper Gwynedd Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) has been monitoring regional initiatives aimed at curbing single-use plastic pollution, and has surveyed residents and businesses in the community to learn about public practices, interests and goals as it relates to single-use plastics.

More than a dozen states, including our neighbors New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Maryland have enacted state-wide bans on some forms of single-use plastics. In Pennsylvania, municipalities are leading the charge with 23 local governments enacting ordinances to curb single-use plastic waste, including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. In Montgomery County, 9 municipalities have ordinances in effect or recently passed.

The EAC hosted a public information session on this initiative back on October 4, 2023. The session featured a presentation by Penn Environment and the Clean Air Council which can be found below.

Penn Environment Plastic Waste Presentation 


Township Residents Survey Results 
Township Businesses Survey Results