The Society of the 

 Plastics Industry, Inc. 



<fi 



1275 K Street, N.W., Suite 400 



Washington, D.C 20005-4006 



(202) 371-5200 



FAX (202) 371-1022 May 25, 1993 



The Honorable Billy Tauzin 



Chairman 



House Subcommittee on Coast Guard 



and Navigation 

 541 Ford House Office Building 

 Third & D Streets, S.W. 

 Washington, D.C. 20515 



Dear Chairman Tauzin: 



The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), Inc., offers the following 

 comments for the hearing on pollution from cruise ships and Coast 

 Guard enforcement of Pollution Prevention laws and International 

 agreements, held May 11, 1993, in your Subcommittee. Founded in 

 1937, SPI is the major national trade association of and the voice for 

 the plasties industry. Our some 2000 members include the resin 

 producers, processors, and equipment manufacturers. 



SPI is and has been committed to a leadership role in protecting the 

 marine environment. Plastics' durability and light weight have made 

 them ideal for many uses on or near the water, and the use of plastic 

 products has yielded many benefits to commercial fishermen, the 

 maritime industry, recreational boaters and others. Unfortunately, 

 improper disposal of these plastic products is causing problems that 

 range from unsightly beaches to endangerment of marine life. 



Responding to the problem of marine debris, the plastics industry- 

 through SPI— has been an active participant in efforts to help abate 

 this problem. For example, SPI has: 



* Testified before Congress in support of Annex V of the 



MARPOL Convention, which is now in effect and prohibits 

 the dumping of plastics waste into the oceans of the 

 world; 



