New Jersey Environmental Groups Call for Passage of State Plastics Reduction Bill
Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

New Jersey Environmental Groups Call for Passage of State Plastics Reduction Bill

Leading environmental groups held a news conference at the New Jersey State Capital in Trenton, New Jersey, urging the state legislature to pass the Packaging Product Stewardship Act (S3398/ A5009), introduced by Senator Bob Smith and Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill. The news conference immediately followed a New Jersey Senate Environment and Energy Committee meeting.

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As Vice President Vance Visits East Palestine, Ohio, for Second Anniversary of Toxic Train Derailment, Beyond Plastics Calls for More Than Just a Photo-Op
Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

As Vice President Vance Visits East Palestine, Ohio, for Second Anniversary of Toxic Train Derailment, Beyond Plastics Calls for More Than Just a Photo-Op

Today, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and EPA administrator Lee Zeldin plan to visit East Palestine, Ohio, on the second anniversary of the train derailment that has left residents requesting an emergency declaration even today, two years later. In response, Beyond Plastics released the following statements.

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Beyond Plastics Announces New Director to Tackle Plastic Pollution in Southern California
Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

Beyond Plastics Announces New Director to Tackle Plastic Pollution in Southern California

Beyond Plastics, a nationwide nonprofit fighting plastic pollution, announced that Susan Keefe joined the organization as its first-ever Southern California director. Keefe will be using her 30-plus years of leadership experience and dedication to activism to grow Beyond Plastics’ presence in Southern California, particularly Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego County.

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Environmental Groups Urge Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm Not to Use Inflation Reduction Act Money to Promote Plastic Burning
Eve Fox Eve Fox

Environmental Groups Urge Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm Not to Use Inflation Reduction Act Money to Promote Plastic Burning

106 environmental and community groups submitted a letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, urging her to withdraw the federal agency’s $182.6 million loan guarantee for the International Recycling Group’s (IRG) proposed plastic waste facility in Erie, PA, and a steel mill in northwest IN. The IRG plant, according to the company’s permit applications, will take plastic waste from a 750-mile radius and send what it doesn’t mechanically recycle to northwest Indiana to be burned.

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New Siena Poll: 58% of Voters Wanted Legislature to Pass Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act
Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

New Siena Poll: 58% of Voters Wanted Legislature to Pass Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act

After Governor Hochul abruptly canceled congestion pricing, which impacted the final days of the New York State legislative session, the New York State Assembly went home without passing the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, despite the bill passing in the senate on June 7th, and reports that the bill was set to pass in the assembly. Now, a new Siena Poll shows that 58% to 31% of New York voters think the legislature should have passed the bill.

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100 Environmental Justice Communities Across USA Write to Speaker Heastie and Senator Stewart Cousins to Reduce Plastic Packaging by 50% and Protect Their Health
Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

100 Environmental Justice Communities Across USA Write to Speaker Heastie and Senator Stewart Cousins to Reduce Plastic Packaging by 50% and Protect Their Health

From Appalachia to Louisiana to Texas, leaders of frontline environmental justice communities harmed by plastic pollution sent a letter to Speaker Heastie and Leader Stewart-Cousins urging them to pass the strongest Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act possible, with national impact

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Judith Enck Challenges America’s Plastic Makers to a ‘Cheese Debate’
Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie

Judith Enck Challenges America’s Plastic Makers to a ‘Cheese Debate’

This morning, the Albany Times Union reported on the New York state Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (A5322B Glick / S4246B Harckham), and claims from opponents that the legislation would be a terrible nuisance to New Yorkers who absolutely cannot live without individually wrapped cheese slices.

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