Earlier this year, Governor Northam issued Executive Order #77 as a means of “reducing plastic pollution and eliminating the need for new solid waste disposal facilities in Virginia.”
What does this Executive Order mean for UMW?
Effective July 21, 2021, all state institutions of higher education and contractors who operate on their campuses will discontinue buying, selling, or distributing these specific items: disposable plastic bags, single-use plastic and polystyrene food service containers, plastic straws and cutlery, and single-use plastic water bottles as the University determines are not for medical, public health, or public safety use.
How will this Executive Order immediately impact the University Community?
As the University awaits further guidance from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), UMW will cease the purchase of the following items as of July 21, 2021:
- Glitter/confetti, plastic table cloths, balloons of any type
Existing inventories, purchased prior to this communication, may be distributed until supplies are exhausted.
- Additionally, we will be asked to immediately find alternatives to the following:
K-cups, disposable plastic bags, single-use plastic and polystyrene food service containers, plastic straws and cutlery, and single-use plastic water bottles
All of this is a work in progress. By September 20, 2021, the University must submit to the state a Plastics Pollution Reduction Plan, which will include University compliance progress.
For more information, please visit the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) website and check out the comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions section.
Stay tuned for additional details to be shared via email.
Have specific questions? Contact GreenUMW@umw.edu.
