One can’t help but notice the amount of plastic that is in our world today. Plastic pollution has become a global epidemic and one that needs to be at the forefront of the conversation. Break Free From Plastic is a global movement creating the kind of engagement that is needed to solve this problem.
In the United States only eight percent of all plastic waste gets recycled, the rest either ends up in a landfill, gets incinerated, or it just gets shipped overseas. Out of sight, out of mind, no problem here!
More people are starting to care about the planet and are making more conscious choices to stop using plastic. Now a new bill has been introduced called the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020.
The bill was introduced by Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.). They are calling this legislation the “first-of-its-kind” attempt to address the root causes on a national level. The aim of this bill is for the plastic producers, big businesses, to take accountability and responsibility for the billions of tons of plastic they produce.
Included in the bill are the following calls to action:
- Require plastic producers to take responsibility. Shifting the burden of waste collections and management away from taxpayers and local governments, to the manufacturers that produce the waste. The manufacturers would be charged for designing and funding recycling systems.
- Establish a nationwide beverage container refund system. A 10 cent charge would be added to all beverage containers of any type. This would promote more people to recycle and return the containers for a refund.
- The phasing out of the most polluting single-use plastics, by January of 2022. This would include polystyrene containers (Styrofoam), plastic bags, and plastic stir sticks. Also included would be a nationwide plastic bag fee.
- Mandates minimum recycled content. Plastics would be required to be made with increasing levels of recycled materials.
- Environmental Justice – This bill would prohibit the U.S. from shipping its waste to other countries. It would only allow for shipping to countries in “the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and only with their consent.”
Lowenthal’s comments from Monday’s press call:
First and foremost, the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act removes the burden of waste collection and recycling from the cities, from states, and, most importantly, from taxpayers, and puts it where it belongs: on the producers and the companies putting out these unsustainable products into the marketplace.
Environmental groups have been hopeful for a bill like this. Jacqueline Savitz, Chief Policy Officer for Oceana recently emailed a statement to EcoWatch:
It’s high time for companies to do more than just say they will recycle. Plastic pollution has become one of the greatest threats to our oceans. This bill would finally tackle the plastic crisis at its source by reducing the amount produced in the first place and encouraging a shift to refillable and reusable alternatives. We need to turn off the faucet, not just run for the mop.
Some resistance is likely to happen, it’s nice to see we are moving in a direction that will place accountability on the companies who are responsible for creating the pollution in the first place. Collectively we must put pressure on these companies to make changes and be part of a solution, rather than continuing to get rich for polluting our planet.
