We should outlaw single use non recyclable plastic everywhere. If not across the US, at least in California. The idea that we just throw plastic into a landfill is simply stupid. Our descendants will look back on us and think we are on the level of apes to just throw stuff into landfills and believe it solves the problems.
At some point we will need a bacteria that can break down polypropylene/polyethylene chains. This will bring an end to plastics usefulness, but the alternative is going to be a continual buildup of inorganic molecules in the environment with unknown consequences.
That's not quite what I meant. It does seem clear that the plastic littered throughout the environment is a problem. The bit that isn't obvious to me is why the plastic in landfills is a problem.
The first step to picking a solution is understanding the problem, and I'm not there yet.
