CONTENT FROM AMERICAN CHEMISTRY COUNCILThe companies that make plastics are
accelerating circular solutions to keep materials
in use and out of our environment.
SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTIONS FOR A
CHANGING PL ANET
Now they’re going further.
America’s leading plastic mak-
ers are helping build a circular
economy for plastics. The goal:
By 2040, 100% of U.S. plastic
packaging will be reused, re-
cycled, or recovered.
“ The private sector is investing
billions of dollars—almost $6 billion
since 2017—to modernize plastics
recycling,” says Joshua Baca, vice
president, plastics division, for
the American Chemistry Council
(ACC), which represents leading
manufacturers of plastics. “ These
technological developments are
not only important for the
planet—they are integral to our
business models going forward.”
Plastic makers are calling on
Congress to adopt a five-part
plan that would accelerate the
shift to a circular economy by
expanding our nation’s recycling
capacity and setting national
recycling standards.
“Private sector investments
are going to keep helping solve
this problem of plastic waste,”
Baca says. “ We also need to
make sure these investments are
supported by smart, pragmatic
policies that Congress can enact today.”
First, Baca says, Congress needs to require that
all plastic packaging be composed of at least 30%
recycled plastic by 2030. Second, our regulatory
system needs updating. Advanced recycling, which
breaks down plastic to its molecular components
for reuse in new products, needs to be appropriately
recognized from coast to coast, just as it already
is in 14 states. Third, national recycling standards
are needed to harmonize local approaches and help
optimize Americans’ recycling practices. Fourth,
the National Academy of Sciences should study
how materials used in product manufacturing stack
up in terms of environmental impacts. Results
will inform future public policy decisions. Fifth, an
American-designed producer responsibility system
would help fund consumer education and other key
initiatives, such as ensuring that collection and
sorting of recycled materials remain up to date.
“ We need to realize that plastics are a resource
we can use over and over again,” Baca says. “ That’s
a circular economy. That’s how we build sustainable
communities that are more resilient and ultimately
keep plastic waste out of the environment.” ■MAKERS OF PLASTIC HAVE BEEN MAKING
materials essential to products we rely on every
day—from lightweight, fuel-efficient cars to durable
pipes that deliver clean drinking water.To acceler a t e t he cir cular econom y,
America’s Plastic Makers® propose a
modern regulator y sys tem that will
help eliminate plastic waste.