NWI groups concerned about plastic waste share ideas

Chicago Tribune

21-06-2025

Environmentalists from Highland, Michigan City, East Chicago, Hobart and Valparaiso gathered Wednesday at Valparaiso University to start working together on ways to address the proliferation of plastic waste.
'There are others locally that are in the fight with us, that are interested in fighting with us and sharing resources,' said Ellen Kapitan, an organizer of the Plastic Reduction Alliance of Northwest Indiana.
Unlike many other materials, plastic waste can be problematic because of 'forever chemicals' that don't biodegrade.
'All this plastic is really harming our health,' said VU chemistry professor Julie Peller, a local expert on plastics.
There have been various efforts across the country to address plastic waste, but industry lobbyists have been effective in blocking them, she said. In Indiana, for example, an industry-friendly state law zip-ties local governments' hands when it comes to attempting to restrict the use of plastic bags.
That doesn't stop local nongovernmental groups from asking stores to offer discounts to people who bring their own bags, however.
Peller showed an image of plastic netting being used to hold grass seeds in place. Using plastic isn't necessary, she said.
'We're seeing a lot of neurodevelopment problems in children,' Peller said. 'We need to stop exposing our children to plastics and their additives.'
Plastic has been found in various human organs, she said.
'What we're finding is what we haven't encountered before,' Peller said. 'There's about seven grams of plastic in our brains,' researchers have found.
That's equivalent to a standard single-use water bottle without a bottle cap, she said.
'While recycling is part of the answer, it's not the main solution we need,' Peller said. The 'reduce, reuse, recycle' mantra puts 'recycle' in third place for a reason.
Even the labeling of plastics is problematic, VU chemistry lecturer Christina Davis said. The numbers that identify various types of plastic are surrounded by a triangle of arrows that would seem to indicate they can be recycled. But that's not always true, she said.
Davis has led teams of students to Marquette Park in Gary and Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton to gather samples of plastic waste.
Last year, it took just 15 minutes to gather 1,500 pieces of plastic at Marquette Park. This year's haul, gathered June 5, is still being counted.
'In a short time, we were able to gather a year's worth of plastic to do research on,' Davis said.
There was enough of the waste to fill at least three Mason jars and much of a fourth one.
'We found so many nurdles this year compared to last year. It was a huge increase,' she said.
Nurdles are the tiny pellets sold to plastics manufacturers to be melted down to form various products made at the factories.
The students gathered about 10 grams of nurdles in that short visit, Davis said.
VU senior Emily Broniewicz, of Hickory Hills, Illinois, helped with the collection, using a 5-micrometer sieve to let the sand drop away from the larger plastic waste being gathered.
She took Peller's introductory environmental justice course her first semester and was hooked.
The group gathered Wednesday discussed various ways to work together on addressing plastic waste.
'What can we brainstorm and do collectively?' Peller asked.
Perhaps the solid waste districts in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties could work together on a campaign to reduce the use of plastic bags. Perhaps farmers' markets could be encouraged to reduce their use. Various other ideas were thrown out, too.
'We're all about partnering and learning to grow together,' Peller said.
Sarah Tubbs, vice president of the alliance, said there will be a community cleanup of a 2-mile stretch of Porter County Road 600 N between Ind. 2 and County Road 400 E. 'We'll have cute little vests for you to wear to keep you safe,' she said.
Cleanups along roadsides typically gather waste in plastic trash bags to be picked up and disposed of afterward.