Executive Order 77
During his keynote address at the Environment Virginia Symposium this morning, Governor Northam announced Executive Order 77 to phase out single use plastics in Virginia state government.
“We believe this is the strongest lead-by-example action on plastics for any state.” Matthew Strickler, Secretary of Natural Resources
Virginia Conservation Network Partners along with the broader conservation community released the following statements. Check back for more statements.
Last updated: March 25th, 2021, 9 AM.
Conservation Community Statements
Virginia Conservation Network
“Plastic waste has wide-ranging and negative impacts on our creeks and rivers, wildlife, public and agricultural lands, and more. It’s high time that Virginia kick its addiction to single-use plastics.
Executive Order 77 puts a plan into action to phase out the use of single-use plastic product consumption in the Commonwealth’s state agencies by 2025 with a more immediate ban on plastic bags, straws and single-use plastic water bottles. This reduction will diminish plastic pollution that harms our creeks, rivers, watershed, food sources, and overall human health while showing leadership to other states, localities and corporations.
The Virginia Conservation Network applauds the work of the Governor’s administration to reduce both the consumption and the single-use nature of plastics, while still encouraging alternative products that are environmentally sustainable and safe for Virginia families.” – Mary Rafferty, Executive Director
Media Contact | Pat Calvert, Senior Policy Manager – Water and Land Conservation
pat@vcnva.org | (434) 484-0804
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
“Plastic waste from items we use once and throw away is clogging our streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, where it is a threat to marine life and an entire ecosystem. In issuing this Executive Order, Governor Northam is leading by example as we work to cut harmful plastic pollution and bolster more sustainable waste management options. More work is clearly ahead of us to tackle this issue while ensuring we’re also protecting the communities already burdened with how we manage our solid waste, and Virginia LCV is committed to working with impacted communities and lawmakers to develop policies that will secure the long-term protections we need to safeguard clean water and our environment.” – VaLCV statement by Chris Leyen, Senior Policy Manager
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
“Plastic litter is a blight on our landscape and an ongoing tragedy for our rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, where it chokes the life from fish and marine mammals and breaks down into harmful microplastics that threaten wildlife up and down the food chain.
Plastic litter is one of the most visible and pernicious forms of pollution, but Governor Northam’s Executive Order 77 shows that we can take steps to address this problem.
We are grateful to the governor for his leadership in the effort to rid our waterways of this bane by phasing out single-use plastics in government agencies and requiring a searching review of how to reduce the vast quantities of waste that currently goes to landfills. This executive order ensures that Virginia will be a leader in this effort.” – Peggy Sanner, Virginia Executive Director
Environment Virginia
“Gov. Northam’s Executive Order 77 is one of the strongest executive orders in the country when it comes to eliminating unnecessary plastic waste in state government.
We must reduce the harm caused by single-use plastic waste and this is a big step in that direction. Virginia’s waterways and wildlife are among the Commonwealth’s best assets and by taking action on this dangerous single-use plastic, Gov. Northam has chosen to put the planet over plastic.
This order acknowledges a simple fact: There is no “away” for our single-use plastic. Whether it ends up in a landfill, an incinerator or in our environment, the plastic we use for just a few minutes will have long-term consequences for our wildlife and our communities. By eliminating the worst forms of single-use plastic in state agencies and taking the first step toward a future with less waste, Governor Northam truly is acting in the best interest of future generations.” – Elly Boehmer, State Director
Media Contact | Elly Boehmer, Environment Virginia State Director
eboehmer@environmentvirginia.
1Planet
“We commend Governor Ralph Northam’s actions today to reduce single use plastic pollution in Virginia through Executive Order 77. The proliferation of plastic bags, bottles, utensils, and take-out containers is overwhelming us. We can’t wish them away through recycling as most of these items can’t or won’t be recycled and end up as trash. The answer is to consume less, and this executive order is an important step. Governor Northam’s move today builds on recent actions taken by the Virginia General Assembly to eliminate Styrofoam take-out containers and to allow localities to impose single use plastic bag fees. Working together at the state and local levels, Virginia can move toward a more beautiful and sustainable future.” – Christine Matthews, Co-Founder of 1Planet
Clean Virginia Waterways
“Approximately 83% of the debris on Virginia’s beaches is made of plastic—mostly single-use items — according to research by Clean Virginia Waterways, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, and the Virginia Aquarium. Data collected by volunteers during statewide cleanups of litter and marine debris, organized by Clean Virginia Waterways since 1995, show that the “Top Ten” items are almost all food- and beverage-related.
This bold leadership from Governor Northam’s administration to phase out single-use plastic items from the Commonwealth’s state agencies and universities will go a long way to setting an example on how to reduce a major source of waste and pollution in Virginia’s coastal waters as well as our streams, rivers and agricultural fields.
Clean Virginia Waterways applauds these actions that will speed the adoption of alternative products that are affordable, sustainable, and safe.” – Katie Register, Executive Director
Media Contact | Katie Register, Executive Director Clean Virginia Waterways
registerkm@longwood.edu | Office: (434)395-2602 | Cell: (434) 607-8021
Mothers Out Front
“Every year, in the United States, we dispose of 35 million tons of plastic waste, with most of it ending up in our landfills, being incinerated or exported to developing countries. If we continue with the current trends, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.
Throughout its life cycle, plastic releases toxic chemicals that pollute our air, water and soil. It causes adverse impacts on human health and especially children and pregnant mothers, who are most vulnerable.
We are thankful Governor Northam is taking an important step to lead by example and begin phasing out single-use plastics from state agencies. We hope this EO will set the stage for other states to follow Virginia’s lead in banning the use of disposable plastics.” – Tiziana Bottino, Community Organizer
Media Contact | Tiziana Bottino, Community Organizer
tiziana.bottino@mothersoutfront.org | (757) 324-6981
Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions
“Last week, Virginia became the seventh state to ban single-use foam containers. Now Governor Northam, through executive order, has taken the next step to reduce the waste stream by banning the use of single-use plastics by state government, colleges and universities. We applaud Gov. Northam’s bold and far-sighted action that sends a powerful message that we all must act now to reduce the waste stream.
Disposable plastic bags, plastic straws and cutlery, and single-use plastic water bottles may be easy to use. But their elimination from society will protect human health, improve our waterways and reduce greenhouse gases that disrupt our climate.” – Eric Goplerud, Founder and Chair
Media Contact | Scott Peterson, Vice Chair
Scott.the.peterson@gmail.com | (571) 344-4446
Sierra Club Virginia Chapter
“Virginia cannot protect the health of Virginians and ensure environmental justice without eliminating its reliance on plastics. Single-use plastics cause long lasting damage to our environment and waterways and impacts the health of vulnerable communities and people of color the hardest. Executive order 77 is an encouraging first step to combat the issue of plastic pollution at its source. Virginia should continue to embrace policies that phase out SUPs in order to preserve our climate, safeguard our drinking water, and protect the health of Virginians.” – Kate Addleson, Director
Media Contact | Tim Cywinski, Communication Manager
tim.cywinski@sierraclub.org | (540) 272-5358
Potomac Riverkeeper Network
“We are working so hard to reduce plastic waste in the Potomac through our Trash Free Potomac campaign; it’s so encouraging to see that Virginia is behind us in this effort.
Plastics form an unbelievable source of pollution in our waterways — from streams, to rivers, to the Chesapeake Bay – every step of the way, it’s a threat to aquatic life, and our own. We all have a lot of work to do, for reducing the use and thus its impact, is something each of us can do – our everyday decisions about purchases and disposal can make a difference. Thanks to Gov. Northam for his action on this important issue.” – Dean Naujoks, Potomac Riverkeeper
Media Contact | Fritz Schneider
fritz@prknetwork.org | (301) 728-4811