Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act reintroduced, plastics industry ramps up opposition
By Megan Quinn | 3/25/21 | Waste Dive
Federal lawmakers have reintroduced the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, a sweeping recycling bill that kickstarted a major debate over how to reduce the country's plastic use when it debuted last year.
The bill retains many of its provisions from last year, including a nationwide extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for packaging, minimum recycled content mandates for certain products, a national container deposit system and single-use plastic product bans. It also calls for a three-year pause on issuing permits for new plastics production facilities and chemical recycling plants, a controversial measure that has drawn criticism from the plastics industry.
The new version of the bill also features updates such as more source reduction efforts, including a focus on refillable and returnable containers. Additional, it calls for further environmental justice measures such as making public hearings available in languages fenceline communities speak.
Sponsored by Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., the bill is backed by more than 400 environmental advocacy groups. They say sweeping changes are needed to reduce plastic production at its source, improve recycling, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect disproportionately affected communities. The bill is co-sponsored by dozens of Democrats, but so far no Republicans have signed on.
“Plastic waste is a crisis that's not simply a solid waste issue, but it's intimately tied to climate change, to environmental justice and to international human rights,” Lowenthal said during a Wednesday press call.