Pass the Federal Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act!

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Pass the Federal Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act!

The Surfrider Foundation is working closely with allies in the Capitol to reintroduce bold federal legislation to tackle the plastic pollution crisis. The legislation is entitled the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act.

Every year, about 11 million metric tons of plastic waste escapes into the ocean from coastal nations. The United States generates the most plastic waste per capita of any country in the world and is among the top contributors to plastic pollution in the coastal environment, either illegally dumped in the U.S. or collected in the U.S. for recycling and exported to countries where it was inadequately managed. This bill recognizes that we cannot recycle our way out of this problem and provides a comprehensive approach to reduce plastic pollution, including policies to reduce unnecessary plastic packaging and shift responsibility to producers, as well as to improve recycling infrastructure.

The reintroduced Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act will:

Require producers of packaging, containers, and food-service products to design, manage, and finance waste and recycling programs.
Launch a nationwide beverage container refund program to bolster recycling rates.
Ban certain single-use plastic products that are not recyclable.
Ban single-use plastic carryout bags and place a fee on the distribution of the remaining carryout bags, which has proven successful at the state level.
Establish minimum recycled content requirements for beverage containers, packaging, and food-service products.
Channel massive investments in U.S. domestic recycling and composting infrastructure.
Prohibit plastic waste from being shipped to developing countries.
Protect state and local governments that enact more stringent standards.
Require EPA to partner with the National Academies of Science to conduct a comprehensive study on the environment and cumulative public health impacts of incinerators and plastic chemical recycling facilities.
Establish a temporary pause on permitting new and expanded plastic production facilities while the EPA creates and, as necessary, updates regulations on plastic production facilities to protect frontline and fenceline communities from direct and cumulative impacts on public health.

Surfrider Foundation encourages our members and supporters to contact your federal elected officials and urge them to support the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act.

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I support the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act!

Every year, about 11 million metric tons of plastic waste escapes into the ocean from coastal nations. The United States generates the most plastic waste per capita of any country in the world and is among the top contributors to plastic pollution in the coastal environment, either illegally dumped in the U.S. or collected in the U.S. for recycling and exported to countries where it was inadequately managed.This bill recognizes that we cannot recycle our way out of this problem and provides a comprehensive approach to reduce plastic pollution, including policies to reduce unnecessary plastic packaging and shift responsibility to producers, as well as to improve recycling infrastructure.

The reintroduced Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act will:
- Require producers of packaging, containers, and food-service products to design, manage, and finance waste and recycling programs.
- Launch a nationwide beverage container refund program to bolster recycling rates.
- Ban certain single-use plastic products that are not recyclable.
- Ban single-use plastic carryout bags and place a fee on the distribution of the remaining carryout bags, which has proven successful at the state level.
- Establish minimum recycled content requirements for beverage containers, packaging, and food-service products.
- Channel massive investments in U.S. domestic recycling and composting infrastructure.
- Prohibit plastic waste from being shipped to developing countries.
- Protect state and local governments that enact more stringent standards.
Require EPA to partner with the National Academies of Science to conduct a comprehensive study on the environment and cumulative public health impacts of incinerators and plastic chemical recycling facilities.
- Establish a temporary pause on permitting new and expanded plastic production facilities while the EPA creates and, as necessary, updates regulations on plastic production facilities to protect frontline and fenceline communities from direct and cumulative impacts on public health.

Updates for reintroduction include:
- Closes waste export loopholes by banning waste exports to countries who themselves re-export to developing countries.
- Includes additional language to ensure minimum standards for what bags can be considered “reusable.”
- Includes important language justice requirements to ensure that professional translation services are provided for non-English speaking communities and accessibility services for the disability community.
- Expands the definition of toxic chemicals and prohibits such toxic chemicals from being included in covered products.
- Includes actions to limit microfiber pollution by mandating filters on washing machines and requires a study on best practices for upstream microfiber pollution prevention.
- Incentivizes greater reuse through the creation of pilot programs to implement reuse and refill technology.
- Expands previous language tackling plastic pellet pollution, microplastic pollution, and wet wipe labelling standards.

Please support the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act!

Thank You!

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