On April 21, 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a draft national strategy to prevent plastic pollution that aims to outline “strategic objectives and voluntary actions that all U.S. organizations can implement to reduce, reuse, collect, and prevent plastic and other waste from entering the environment.” The strategy identifies actions within the jurisdiction of the EPA as well as sections where others may be involved, with a particular focus on the environmental and social justice issues around plastic production and recycling (FPF reported). The strategy has three main objectives (i) reduce pollution during plastic production, (ii) improve recycling and reuse, and (iii) prevent and remove micro- nanoplastics from waterways.
Specific actions the EPA proposes that could relate to food packaging include:
- Reducing the production and consumption of single-use, unrecyclable, or frequently littered plastic products.
- Develop or expand the capacity to maximize the reuse of materials.
- Explore the possible ratification of the Basel Convention and encourage the environmentally sound management of scrap and recyclables traded with other countries (FPF reported).
- Identify and implement policies, programs, technical assistance, and compliance assurance actions that effectively prevent trash/microplastics from getting into waterways or remove such waste from waterways once it ended up there.
- Increase and coordinate research on micro- and nanoplastics in waterways and oceans.
The EPA’s draft strategy aims to support a circular approach to managing plastics by “enabling resources to maintain their highest value for as long as possible,” and ultimately, eliminate waste. Considerations such as the difficulties in effectively recycling plastics (FPF factsheet), and the health hazards that are associated with all steps of the plastics supply chain (FPF reported) are mentioned but details are limited. The strategy includes questions from the EPA to stakeholders regarding these and other issues.
Some of the concerns around plastics can be assuaged by limiting production of certain polymers or highly littered plastic objects. The European Union and the United Nations are already taking steps through processes such as the Single Use Plastics Directive (FPF reported), the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (FPF reported), and the Global Plastics Treaty (FPF reported). The US position in Plastics Treaty negotiations currently focuses more on recycling and less on reduction, in opposition to the position of the 50 nations that make up the High Ambition Coalition (FPF reported).
The EPA’s draft plastics strategy is open for public comment until June 16, 2023. The EPA expects to finalize the strategy by the end of the year.
Reference
EPA (April 21, 2023). “Draft national strategy to prevent plastic pollution.”
EPA (May 2, 2023). “Draft National strategy to prevent plastic pollution – comment page.” Regulations.gov
Read more
EPA (April 21, 2023). “Biden-Harris administration announces latest steps to reduce plastic pollution nationwide.”
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (May 2, 2023). “EPA releases draft national strategy to prevent plastic pollution.” The National Law Review.
