In a press release published on July 18, 2019, U.S. legislators Tom Udall and Alan Lowenthal “announced that they plan to introduce comprehensive legislation to tackle the plastic waste crisis.” An outline of the bill was released, and feedback has been requested from stakeholders until August 21, 2019. As discussed in an article published by news provider Waste Dive, the bill currently aims to extend producer responsibility to product end-of-life, implement nationwide container deposit schemes, ban many single-use plastics, use standardized labeling for disposal instructions, and require packaging to be 100% made from recyclable materials.
“These plastics are inundating our coastal communities and becoming part of the food chain through polluted fish. Countries around the world have acknowledged this crisis and begun taking steps to apply solutions. It is past time for the United States to do the same,” said Lowenthal. “We are running out of time to deal with this crisis of our own creation, and our nation needs to join with the international community and implement solutions immediately.”
Read more
Tom Udall (July 18, 2019). “Udall, Lowenthal Release Outline of Legislation to Tackle Plastic Waste Pollution Crisis.”
Rina Li (July 22, 2019). “Lawmakers propose sweeping national plastic waste legislation.” Waste Dive
