http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2013/ocean-plastics-pollution-11-18-2013.html
November 18, 2013
Contact: Emily Jeffers, (415) 632-5309 or ejeffers@biologicaldiversity.org
Plastic-covered Hawaiian Island Moves Toward Possible Superfund Designation
In Historic Step, EPA Will Assess Hazards of Plastic Pollution on Tern
Island
SAN FRANCISCO— In response to a petition submitted by the Center for
Biological Diversity, the Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to
take a historic first step toward classifying a tiny Hawaiian coral
island, Tern Island, as a Superfund site because of hazards posed by
plastic pollution. The Center’s petition requested that the agency
conduct a preliminary assessment of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
and a portion of the enormous Pacific Garbage Patch within U.S. waters.
The EPA’s Superfund program is designed to identify and clean up the
country’s most polluted areas. This is the first time the agency has
considered using Superfund to address an area contaminated by plastic;
it will be conducting studies on Tern Island, a remote airstrip and one
of the largest tropical seabird rookeries in the world. In particular,
the agency will focus on the toxicity threats posed by plastic debris to
wildlife that inhabits the area.