CEH Responds to Biden-Harris Administration’s New Strategy to Tackle Plastic Pollution
The Center for Environmental Health praises the Biden-Harris Administration for recognizing the full scope of the plastic pollution crisis, including the issue of microplastics and nanoplastics, as well as acknowledging the scale of the response that is needed.
The strategy focuses on cutting toxic pollutants from plastic production, use, and disposal, as well as the protection of fenceline communities disproportionately burdened by environmental injustices. Examples include recent EPA toxic air pollutant rules on ethylene oxide and chloroprene, as well as EPA’s recent prioritization of vinyl chloride for risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
The strategy includes a government procurement phase-out of single-use plastics in food service operations and events by 2027, and in all government operations by 2035.
While this is a good start, the strategy falls short of what is needed to truly make progress in reducing plastic pollution because it fails to include any caps on plastic production. This lack of commitment to caps is also reflected in the Administration’s approach to the negotiations of the proposed Global Plastics Treaty where the United States joined the fossil fuel industry in opposing caps on plastic production.
The fossil fuel derived plastic industry is pushing for expansion and vociferously opposes any caps on production. The solution, they argue, rests in circularity, including so called “chemical recycling,” which is a false solution that results in the release of toxic chemicals and harm to fenceline communities.
To learn more about the plastic pollution crisis, visit Break Free From Plastic.