Authors: Veronica Herrera, UCLA Urban Planning; Daniel Coffee and Tatiana Flores, Luskin Center for Innovation
Funder: Resources Legacy Fund
The researchers created an environmental justice-centered Three-Part Framework for Identifying Plastic-Burdened Communities to facilitate a data-driven approach for targeting plastic mitigation investments equitably. This paper, policy brief, and interactive map develop one of the framework’s parts to demonstrate that plastic exposure risks are highest in California’s lower-income communities and communities of color.
UCLA Authors: Daniel Coffee and Richard Diaz
This report provides an overview of how plastic is manufactured, used, and disposed of – its “life cycle” – and identifies the environmental, health, and economic harms created in the pre-use, use, and post-use stages. The multifaceted nature of plastic impacts highlights the need for large-scale, systemic policy interventions to mitigate harms and move away from the throwaway economy model.
Luskin Student Authors: Daniel Coffee, Maggie Faigen, Jinny Lee Milani, and Candice Richardson
Funder: LA County Chief Sustainability Office
This report builds on our previous publication, Plastic Waste in L.A. County, to identify lessons learned and best practices for the implementation of new plastic regulatory policies. We find that the evidence in support of reducing single-use plastic, especially in food service contexts, is overwhelming and that plastic reduction policy strategies in other jurisdictions have been generally successful with no negative economic impacts.
UCLA Authors: Daniel Coffee, Maggie Faigen, Jinny Lee Milani, and Candice Richardson
Funder: LA County Chief Sustainability Office
To inform LA County’s efforts to craft an ordinance addressing plastic waste, the LA County Chief Sustainability Office commissioned this report to study the impact of plastic waste on the County, examine the current state of recycling viability, and identify potential alternatives to single-use plastic. The researchers identify multiple adverse impacts associated with plastic production and waste, which current recycling practices can do little to lessen, but find that shifts to more sustainable materials will likely be beneficial in particular sectors.
