Our Commitment to a Plastic-Free Future

Explore our initiatives to combat plastic pollution.

California Association for Recycling All Trash

(CARAT)

Plastic pollution in the oceans is one of the major existential threats to life on this planet. Plastic in our food and water have contributed to lower sperm counts. Now plastic has been found in our brains and veins.

The proliferation of plastics starting in the early 20th century has led to environ-mental concerns because of their slow decomposition rate. In 2018, a survey by the Global Oceanic Environmental Sur-vey (GOES) Foundation found that the ecosystem in seas and oceans may collapse in the next 25 years, causing failure of terrestrial ecosystem and “very possibly the end of life on Earth as we know it.”

Shoppers worldwide are using 500 billion single-use plastic bags per year. 100,000 marine animals die every year from plastic entangle-ment. There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the oceans– 46,000 pieces of plastic in every square mile of ocean. All the fish we eat are now contaminated with plastic par-ticles.

   Principles of CARAT

CARAT is dedicated to taking action locally, nationally and internationally to reduce plastic pollution.

What CARAT is Doing

1. CARAT has forced more than 1,000 grocery stores in California to accept the returns of bottles and cans for recycling;
2. We are suing tea companies to ban use of plastic tea bags;
3. We are suing coffee companies to require use of aluminum K-Cups instead of plastic K-Cups;
4. We are suing companies using black plastic containers for meals to force them to switch to aluminum con-tainers;
5. We have proposed state and federal legislation that reduces plastic packaging;
6. We have proposed state and federal legislation that institutes a national recycling program for bottles and cans;
7. We have proposed comprehensive state and federal legislation that reduces the use of plastic and mandates use of biodegradable plastics;
8. We have formed the www. War Against Plastic.com to inform public of the harm caused by plastics;
9. We have proposed an international treaty to reduce plastic pollution; and

1. We are suing the U.S. Postal Ser-vice for its use of plastic tape, plastic packaging and plastic foam peanuts under the National Envi-ronmental Policy Act (NEPA).  We are arguing that the Postal Service use of plastics constitutes a major federal action significantly affect-ting the environment and that the USPS has failed to prepare an environmental impact statement. CARAT’s CEO Joel D. Joseph has successfully litigated NEPA cases all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

          Publications

CARAT has published thre books that address plastic pollution:

Plastic Pollution Solution: pro-poses legislation and an inter-national treaty to control plastic pollution.

50 Ways to Reduce Plastic Pollution: This book explains how individuals can reduce their per-sonal use of plastic in their daily lives.

The Age of Plastic: This child-ren’s books explains how plastic started and the harm that it is now causing and encourages children to recycle.

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                     Litigation

CARAT has given notice to all major grocery store chains in California that it will sue them if they do not establish recycling facilities at every store. Cali-fornia law requires all grocery stores to accept the return of plastic, glass and metal bottles that have a deposit on them. CARAT has settled with Bristol Farms, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Albertsons, Safe-way and other stores. We are pursuing  compliance from Ralphs, Whole Foods, Costco  and others.

Advocacy

CARAT is drafting federal and state leg-islation to regulate the use of plastics. We are working with Congressman Jamie Raskin and others on this legislation.

                             Leadership

Joel D. Joseph is CARAT’s founder and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Joseph is an environmental lawyer who has represented the Sierra Club and many other environmental organ-izations over the past 40 years. He also drafted the Country of Origin Labeling Act that requires country of origin labeling of most food products.

CARAT has also hired other law firms to make sure that all grocery stores in California comply with California’s recycling laws.

Tax-Exempt Status

CARAT has been granted tax-exempt status as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. Member-ship is $35 per year. You can make donations or join as a member on our website:  www.CalRecycles.com or mail a check to CARAT, PO Box 12184, La Jolla, California 92039. Donations are tax-deductivle.

Businesses can join CARAT as a member for $250.

 www.CalRecycles.com

www.waragainstplastic.com

               P.O. Box 12184

La Jolla, California 92039

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