“Most people are really good at bringing their own water bottle,” says Kathleen Hahn from DANCECLUB Asheville.

“Most people are really good at bringing their own water bottle,” says Kathleen Hahn from DANCECLUB Asheville.
“Mountain Xpress readers: Please attend the Sept. 27 meeting and urge Asheville City Council to take immediate action to protect public health and the environment.”
“If the purpose of the initiative by MountainTrue and the Sierra Club is to reduce single-use plastics, why are they proposing a 10-cent charge for paper bags?”
“Because the presence of a pollutant that is harmful to both human health and the environment has been documented in our region (we have the water samples to prove it), Asheville and Buncombe County not only have the power to act, they have a legal duty to protect its residents.”
A study conducted by MountainTrue found an average of 19 microplastic particles — pieces smaller than 5 millimeters, formed by the breakdown of larger plastics — per liter of water in local river systems. Exposure to microplastics has been tied to allergic reactions and other health impacts in humans, as well as negative effects on fish.