On Wednesday, three Democratic congressional representatives introduced the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2023, a comprehensive bill aimed at curbing plastic production and ensuring companies bear the financial burden of their pollution.
Joseph Winters reports for Grist.
In short:
- The bill would strengthen protections near petrochemical facilities, sets bold plastic reduction goals, and enforces stricter rules on plastic chemicals.
- It would establish a national policy obligating plastic firms to fund a central body for recycling and production cuts.
- The latest legislation, like earlier iterations, is unlikely to pass, but advocates hope some components might influence state or local policies or become separate federal bills.
Key quote:
"Our bill tackles the plastic pollution crisis head on, addressing the harmful climate and environmental justice impacts of this growing fossil fuel sector and moving our economy away from its overreliance on single-use plastic."
– Rep. Jared Huffman, D-CA
The big picture:
From extraction of fossil fuels to chemicals used in plastic manufacturing to waste materials, plastic pollution threatens human health. Chemicals in plastics can also disrupt hormones and elevate cancer risks.
Learn more: Microplastics can pick up pollution and pose an even greater threat to human health, writes Krystal Vasquez for EHN.
Read the Grist story here.
