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Protect Ocean Life From Deadly Polluting Foam

1,054 signatures toward our 30,000 Goal

3.51% Complete

Sponsor: Free The Ocean

Plastic foam ravages our coasts and poisons wildlife in its path. Join the fight now to save our oceans and protect every living being.


Plastic foam endangers marine life, pollutes beaches, and costs communities millions of dollars each year1. Studies show that foam particles drift across oceans in massive quantities, outnumbering plankton in certain waters1. Researchers confirm a direct link between foam debris and injury or death for fish, seabirds, and mammals1.

The Farewell to Foam Act

The Farewell to Foam Act would ban single-use foam products nationwide2. This bill reflects local ordinances that already reduced shoreline foam by wide margins. Businesses save money by choosing reusable or biodegradable alternatives, and fewer foam fragments wash ashore3.

The Ongoing Threat

Coastal groups see polystyrene foam as the single worst item for their cleanup events4. Large blocks shatter into billions of tiny pieces, spreading unseen toxins that wildlife mistake for food5.

Experts say foam containers pose a serious risk to sea turtles, whales, and birds, many of which ingest plastic, suffer blockages, or starve6.

Volunteers collected millions of foam fragments worldwide, ranking them among the top ten most frequently found items on beaches. Researchers have observed fragments traveling hundreds of miles before piling up in remote habitats7. The burden then shifts to local communities forced to handle never-ending cleanup costs.

A Call to Action

The Farewell to Foam Act gives lawmakers a chance to defend public health, preserve wildlife, and help families who rely on tourism and fishing. Sea life cannot survive with constant foam pollution. Every step counts. We need immediate action to address this threat head-on.

Please stand with us. Show your support for clean oceans and healthy marine habitats. Sign the petition now.

More on this issue:

  1. Clean Water (2025), "The Problem of Marine Plastic Pollution."
  2. Sen. Van Hollen, Chris, 118th Congress (D M Y), "S.3440 - Farewell to Foam Act of 2023."
  3. EPE Global USA (2025), "Polystyrene Foam and Ocean Pollution."
  4. Pacific Beach Coalition (January 2010), "Styrofoam On Our Shores."
  5. Liesl Clark, Pioneering The Simple Life (10 January 2016), "Mapping Plastic: Aquaculture’s Styrofoam Beaches."
  6. World Wildlife Fund (2025), "What do sea turtles eat? Unfortunately, plastic bags.."
  7. Nick Mallos, Ocean Conservancy (6 September 2023), "What the Foam?!."
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The Petition:

To the Chairs and Members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Speaker of the House, the Senate Majority Leader, and all Co-Sponsors of the Farewell to Foam Act,

As single-use polystyrene foam floods our oceans, rivers, and communities, we respectfully urge you to champion the swift passage of the Farewell to Foam Act. Your leadership in this matter is vital to safeguard marine life, coastal economies, and the health of people nationwide.

The Farewell to Foam Act offers a bold approach to combat plastic foam pollution. This initiative builds on the growing number of state-level bans and local ordinances that have already proven successful in cutting down foam litter. However, the problem persists at a national scale. Without federal action, seabirds, sea turtles, and countless marine species will continue to suffer from foam ingestion and entanglement. Foam debris also mars beaches, overwhelms municipal waste systems, and threatens the livelihoods of fishing and tourism industries.

Our environment suffers immediate and long-term harm when toxic foam micro-particles enter watersheds and food chains. Worse yet, cleanup efforts place a tremendous financial burden on city and state governments, straining already-limited resources. With the Farewell to Foam Act, we have a chance to ban harmful items, promote sustainable alternatives, and protect both human and ecological well-being.

This is a call for decisive and compassionate action. Passage of the Farewell to Foam Act will mark a pivotal moment in our commitment to clean oceans, coastal preservation, and the wildlife that depends on them. By acting now, Congress can help ensure a healthier, more resilient future for every American.

We urge you to pass the Farewell to Foam Act and invest in a lasting legacy of conservation and compassion.

Sincerely,

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Signatures: