Plastics and the Yuba: Guest Post by Shirley Freriks from the WasteNOT Plastics team 

Plastics ride the river –  

Unfortunately. 

Some float and bump along the rocks, giving off microplastics the whole time. Where do they end up?  Somewhere down the line on a beach…or maybe they make it all the way to the ocean. Some fill up with water and end up on the bottom of the river…degrading there quietly for ages…giving off microplastics and methane.  

Cigarette butts do the same thing – the filters are made up of hundreds of microfibers, which break down into microplastics – and nanoplastics. Surfrider, in Plastics News, says that “Cigarette butts were the top item collected in their cleanup by volunteers in 2023, with 190,654 removed from beaches.” Nine out of the top ten items removed were plastic fragments (breaking down as they move in water), food wrappers, foam fragments, bottle caps, straws and plastic bottles.” Likely trash tossed by visitors’ lunches. This happens right here at the Yuba too. 

Why are plastics and microplastics not a good thing? Other than the unsightly pollution in the fresh waters, they give off toxic methane which the river life, birds and aquatic plants take in – not good for their longevity. And not good for humans either!  

Research shows that microplastics are present in humans right down to fetuses and mother’s milk. They are known to cause endocrine disorders and cancer. Plastics are toxic substances. 

First rule of thumb to reduce, or even STOP this, is to say NO to as much as possible in your own life. There are usually options when you, and the stores, are forced to use them by environmentally unconscious producers. At the deli counter and meat counters, ask the clerks to use something other than a plastic bag or container. They give me a foil wrapped packet rather than a zip lock. Take your own container. It is now legal to do that most places. The sad part is that a lot of things you might want to pack on a hike along the river are already pre-packaged. Maybe make your own tuna salad? 

Of course, PACK IT IN AND PACK IT OUT is an important motto. 

Help is on the way from the CA government! SB 54 is a very important and trend-setting bill passed last year that will force producers to make all packaging certifiably COMPOSTABLE AND RECYCLABLE. This is huge!  Sad to say it is not enforceable until 2032 since it takes time for the industry to come up with new formulations for plastics, in particular, that are not toxic and polluting. Meanwhile, say NO to as much as possible. BYO!  Be Yuba Optimal! 

This shows your love for the YUBA and the environment more than anything. Thanks for doing your part. 

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Shirley Freriks is the co-lead for the WasteNOT plastics efforts in the county – and on the Nevada County Solid Waste Commission. 

WasteNOT plastics https://wastenotplastic.wixsite.com/wastenotplastic  

Shirley Freriks 

WasteNOT  Nevada County! 

https://www.ncclimateactionnow.org/recycle

Nevada County CLIMATE ACTION NOW  

https://www.ncclimateactionnow.org

WasteNOT Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/wastenotnevadacounty

WasteNOT Plastics – https://wastenotplastic.wixsite.com/wastenotplastic