Tell our leaders to break free from plastic

More than 335 million tons of plastic are produced each year.

Less than ten percent of it is recycled. The rest is either burned or ends up in landfills and the ocean, polluting the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the places we call home. Often, this pollution most negatively affects communities of color and low-income neighborhoods that are already disproportionately impacted by climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic.    

Without action, plastic pollution will only get worse. Industry is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into expanding capacity and is projected to triple plastic production by 2050. From extraction to production to pollution, these activities will wreak havoc on the health of people and the planet.

Our leaders are currently considering a major measure to address the plastic crisis: H.R.5845 / S.3263. Introduced in February 2020, H.R.5845 / S.3263 will: 

• Enhance and finance waste management programs

• Create a nationwide refund program for beverage containers

• Ban non-recyclable single-use plastic products and bags

• Encourage the use of recycled materials

• Spur investment in recycling and composting infrastructure

• Stop waste from being shipped to developing countries

• Ensure local and state policies can effectively implement standards

• Temporarily pause new plastic facilities until EPA issues updates regulations 

This is the most comprehensive plastic pollution measure ever introduced at the federal level.

The measure already has nearly 100 sponsors, and the support of multiple organizations, including Beyond Plastic, Lonely Whale, and Peak Plastic Foundation. 

Watch the video, Breathe This Air, to dive deeper into why the need for a comprehensive and systemic policy to address the plastics crisis has never been greater.

Add your name below to urge our leaders to break free from plastic. Then, help build momentum by sharing the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.