Plastic Makers, Americans Urge Action on Plastic Waste
WWF Polling Highlights Pressing Need for Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC (June 7, 2022) — The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) recently released public opinion polling on plastics and policy guidance on a circular economy for packaging. The following may be attributed to Joshua Baca, vice president of plastics at the American Chemistry Council (ACC).
“WWF’s public opinion polling on plastic and waste management reinforces the need for Congress, state and local governments, and the plastics value chain to do more to address waste and foster a circular economy. ACC agrees that more must be done so plastics remain in our economy and out of our environment, and we have a plan to help do so.
“Last year America’s plastic makers released 5 Actions for sustainable change and we are urging Congress to pass legislation in line with them.
“As WWF’s polling found, Americans are skeptical of recycling and want businesses to take more action in reducing plastic waste. The 5 Actions address these valid concerns head on by requiring a 30% recycled plastic standard by 2030 for all U.S. plastic packaging, enabling the rapid scaling of advanced recycling while growing mechanical recycling, developing national recycling standards for plastics, and establishing a producer responsibility system to increase recycling access, collection and outreach for all materials.
“Plastics help reduce food waste, enable modern health care, and are critical to renewable energy. As the world grapples with reducing carbon emissions and a growing, wealthier population, policy proposals to cap plastic production will only hinder progress towards achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals. Better waste management for the 3 billion people that lack access to it is a more effective solution to keeping plastics and other waste out of our environment.
“ACC appreciates WWF’s polling and policy guidance on plastics. We hope to work collaboratively with Congress, WWF and other stakeholders to pass meaningful legislation to accelerate a circular economy for plastics.”
