Over thirty mayors from cities along the length of the Mississippi River — including Bemidji, Red Wing and Hastings — have announced a commitment with state lawmakers and private companies to reduce plastic waste in the Mississippi River Valley. Bemidji Mayor Rita Albrecht says, “The Mississippi River drains an expansive 31-state landscape, making it clear that as much as 40 percent of plastic pollution in the Gulf [of Mexico] could originate from the Mississippi River.”
Some officials suggest each state along the Mississippi form a “plastic waste reduction commission” to work with cities to set targets for reducing plastic pollution.