Much has been written about the great Plastic Vortex covering
perhaps half a million square miles in the Pacific Ocean, and
others not quite as large in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Manufactured items from bags to toys to shoes that are not
recycled eventually find their way to sea. Birds and aquatic
animals ingest them, often fatally; Dutch scientists found that
some seagulls averaged 30 pieces of plastic in their stomachs.
As the plastic degrades it can release toxins, or sometimes just
break into smaller, more easily ingested particles. Several
California agencies are trying to tackle the plastics-and-
floatables problem on a local scale. The Santa Clara Valley
Water District Board of Directors last week voted to prevent
district funds from being used to buy service ware made of
expanded polystyrene foam, or Styrofoam. Citing Caltrans data
that shows 15% of storm drain litter to consist of foam—packing
materials, food service ware, and other items—the board said it
hoped to encourage other districts and