There is
widespread support
among Americans for bold steps to create a
sustainable future for plastics.
-
3 in 4 Americans
See plastic waste
as a critical issue -
83%
Support the
plastics industryin taking big, bold steps to
address plastic waste -
8 in 10 Americans
Want the plastic industry to bring
together groups to help develop a
national recycling framework to
increase plastic recycling -
84%
Support new
advanced recycling
technologies
A More Sustainable Future for Plastic in 5 Bold Steps.
waste and emissions
From the containers in your fridge to the lightweight components powering autonomous vehicles, plastic is an integral part of our lives and our shared future. But plastics also play a central role in combating climate change. Plastic packaging helps cut down on food waste, one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Studies show that using common alternatives to plastic packaging and products typically create a significantly larger carbon footprint over their lifecycles.
While plastics contribute to sustainability, plastic waste does not. Only 9 percent of all plastics generated are currently recycled. That means billions of pounds of plastic produced every year are destined to end up in a landfill, or worse, in our environment.
But the story no longer has to end there. Innovations in recycling mean we have the capability to turn billions of pounds of used plastics into the products that make modern life possible. To build a more sustainable future, we need a circular economy in which plastics are recovered and recycled to be used again and again.
For many of the products we rely on, recycled plastic can displace the need for virgin plastic. Recycled beverage bottles can become carpeting or fleece apparel, while detergent bottles can become pallets, railroad ties or drainage pipes. By giving plastics new lives as other products, we can extend and optimize the life of our natural resources, reduce the production of waste and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Today, the United States has a patchwork approach to recycling — more than 9,000 jurisdictions set their own rules for what gets recycled and how. Those local inconsistencies create confusion for consumers and inefficient markets for recycled plastics. A harmonized, national recycling system will enable the growth of a circular economy for plastics, work to eliminate plastic waste and support greenhouse gas emission reductions across the country.
To create a circular economy, the U.S. will have to expand access to recycling and establish consistent recycling standards. But it will also have to create economically and environmentally sustainable new uses and markets for recycled plastics. Reducing plastic waste will take cooperation among private businesses, the research community and governments at every level, from Capitol Hill and state houses down to local communities.
America’s Plastic Makers are calling on Congress to take five bold steps to establish a circular economy, drive actions that combat climate change and bring the country to a more sustainable future.
Explore these
5 bold steps
Congress can take to establish a circular economy and
bring the country to a more sustainable future.
1. Require a “30 by ‘30 national” recycled plastics standard
Congress should require all plastic packaging to include at least 30% recycled plastic by 2030. A national recycled plastics standard can drive a consistent approach to recycling and developing efficient recycling systems, reducing waste and mitigating emissions.
78% of Americans support a 30 by ‘30 national standard, which will help keep plastic packaging out of the environment.
2. Create a modern regulatory system to develop a circular economy for plastics
An updated regulatory system would enable rapid expansion of economically and environmentally sustainable advanced recycling and continue to grow traditional, mechanical recycling. Advanced recycling brings used plastics back to their molecular building blocks, transforming hard-to-recycle plastics into new, high-value materials.
36 U.S. states have outdated policies that regulate advanced recycling as“waste disposal” rather than manufacturing, making it more difficult to deploy new recycling technologies and facilities. But 14 U.S. states have already enacted legislation to modernize their regulatory frameworks in just the past three years.
3. Direct the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to bring together the plastics value chain to develop a national recycling framework for plastics
The nation’s recycling systems were developed decades ago, and it’s time for a refresh. The EPA and DOE can convene recyclers, waste managers, community leaders, manufacturers and brand companies to expand recycling access for American households and reduce recycling contamination across the country.
82% of voters support national plastics recycling standards.
4. Study the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from all materials to guide informed policy
Public policy should be based on data, not ideology. To guide Congress in developing policy on climate and material use, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) should conduct a study on the comparative benefits, resource use, resource efficiency and carbon impact across the full life cycle of materials such as plastic, steel, aluminum, glass, textiles, wood and paper.
Studies show the use of alternatives to plastic packaging and products typically create significantly more greenhouse gas emissions over their lifecycle.
5. Establish an American-designed producer responsibility system
We must expand recycling dramatically by increasing recycling access, collection and outreach for all materials, including plastic. A producer responsibility system, financed and directed by the private sector, can help generate a consistent supply of high quality post-use materials for recycling and provide the right incentives and disincentives to prevent litter, discourage landfilling and encourage recycling.
40% of Americans lack equitable recycling. A producer responsibility system can reduce confusion, increase participation and encourage new business initiatives to promote a circular economy.