Plastic Makers Back Fair and Feasible Policies That Improve Packaging Recycling

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation for plastic has been introduced in nine U.S. states.

In response, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) issued a statement in which they doubt an EPR program created just for plastic will solve the problem.

The American Chemistry Council reports that the measure could lead to material substitutes that could cost more to produce, increase food waste or have higher lifecycle impacts.

America’s Plastic Makers are helping lead the way toward ending plastic waste by investing, innovating, and driving policies that treat used plastics as a resource for making new products. One of the reasons plastics are so widely used in packaging is that they allow us to do more with less, which inherently reduces waste and carbon emissions, an increasingly important factor as we collectively work to address climate change.

Plastic makers support fair and feasible approaches that address all packaging materials, not just plastic.

The members of ACC’s Plastics Division have set a goal for 100% of U.S. plastic packaging to be recyclable or recoverable by 2030.

In the last three years, the ACC announced 64 projects aimed at updating recycling in the U.S. Together these projects could divert more than 4.0 million metric tons of waste from landfills.

And while a bipartisan approach to public policies is important, no one denies that producers should take more responsibility for the packaging waste.