Dear Anonymous,

More than 1,700 tons of plastic trash are about to be delivered to the U.S. and Canada.1 Why?

The two countries sent it to Cambodia, but Cambodia doesn't want it. And Cambodia isn't the first country to say no to our trash -- China declared it would no longer accept it in 2018.

We produce more plastic waste than we can handle, and we're running out of places to send it. It's time to cut down on plastic waste.

Environment Colorado and our national network are working to ban the worst single-use plastics in states across the country, but we need your support. Donate to Environment Colorado today to support all of our work to protect the environment.

A total of 83 shipping containers filled with plastic trash -- 70 from the United States alone -- were found at Cambodia's main port. "Cambodia is not a dustbin," the country's environment minister declared as he announced that the containers will be returned to North America.3 An investigation has been opened to determine how the plastic ended up in Cambodia.

This is just one example of a much larger problem. Our plastic trash is clogging up landfills and breaking into smaller pieces but never truly degrading, or floating into the environment where it can harm wildlife. We simply can't export our plastic problem to other countries.

There are so many horror stories of wildlife being harmed by plastic pollution that we shouldn't need a sign as big as this one -- that other countries won't accept our plastic trash -- to stop using single-use plastics.

Donate to Environment Colorado today.

We're working with our national network to ban the worst single-use plastics across the country -- and we're making real progress.

• Our network helped pass the first statewide plastic bag ban in California in 2014.
• Maine, Oregon, New York, Delaware and Connecticut have passed similar plastic bag bans.
• Just this year, Maine and Maryland became the first states in the country to pass statewide bans on one of the worst forms of plastic pollution, polystyrene foam cups and takeout containers.
• Hundreds of cities across the country have adopted local ordinances to ban or reduce plastic waste.

We know what it takes to make real progress across the nation and right here in Colorado, but we need your support.

Thanks for making it all possible,

Jeanne Bassett
Senior Associate

1. Jessie Yeung, "Cambodia to send plastic waste back to the US and Canada," CNN World, July 18, 2019.
2. Guardian staff and agencies, "'Not a dustbin': Cambodia to send plastic waste back to the US and Canada," The Guardian, July 17, 2019.
3. Jessie Yeung, "Cambodia to send plastic waste back to the US and Canada," CNN World, July 18, 2019.