On November 21, 2024 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its “National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution.” This Strategy finalizes a draft issued in May 2023 (which I wrote about HERE). EPA notes that over the last 20 years, the global annual production of plastic products and generation of plastic waste have both more than doubled, and are projected to triple again by 2060. North America both produces and consumes roughly 19% of global plastics. To address these issues, the Strategy identifies a set of voluntary actions intenraftded to reduce the volumes of plastic wastes that end up disposed or discarded within the US. EPA describes these measures, and the agency’s related activities, as “an ambitious, equitable approach to reduce and recover plastics and other materials.” The remainder of this note summarizes the 74 pages of the Strategy.
What strategic objectives does the Strategy provide?
The new Strategy sets out six Strategic objectives (restructured from three in the Draft Strategy), and proposes categories of actions to further each objective. These consist of the following:
- Objective A: Reduce Pollution from Plastic Production
EPA seeks to make changes in the design and production of items that presently contain plastic, reducing the “front end” of plastics flows. The Strategy provides four sets of actions:
- A1. Conduct evaluations to ensure that fossil fuel extraction as well as petrochemical and plastic production facilities comply with regulatory requirements.
- A2. Continue to make progress reviewing and, where appropriate, updating regulations for fossil fuel extraction, petrochemical and plastic production facilities, and transporters of plastic pellets and plastic additives.
- A3. Explore creating a voluntary certification to recognize plastic products that are manufactured under rigorous environmental standards.
- A4. Identify and reduce environmental injustice and public health impacts from fossil fuel extraction, petrochemical and plastic production facilities.
- Objective B: Innovate Material and Product Design
EPA notes that manufacturers at all stages of plastic product production have opportunities to design products and systems that result in fewer negative human health and environmental impacts, including during end-of-life management. EPA also notes that manufactures need to develop methods to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Strategy presents two sets of actions:
- B1. Identify alternative materials, products or systems that can minimize impacts on human health and the environment.
- B2. Review, develop, update and use sustainability standards, ecolabels, certifications and design guidelines that can minimize the negative impacts to human health and the environment from plastic products across their lifecycle.
- Objective C: Decrease Waste Generation
EPA records the steady increase in plastic waste generation in the United States, from 0.4 % of total municipal solid waste in 1960 to 13.2 % percent in 2017. EPA is addressing efforts to reduce plastic manufacture (including single-use plastics), and to promote recycling. Actions include:
- C1. Reduce the production and consumption of single use plastic products.
- C2. Enhance the effectiveness of existing public policies and incentives for decreasing waste generation.
- C3. Develop and/or expand the capacity to reuse materials.
- C4. Increase public understanding about the impacts of plastic pollution (including on waterways and the ocean) and how to appropriately manage plastics and other materials.
- Objective D: Improve Waste Management
EPA seeks to way to manage plastics waste that minimize impacts on human health and the environment. These include international and domestic efforts addressing hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Actions include:
- D1. Explore possible ratification of the Basel Convention and encourage environmentally sound management of scrap and recyclables traded with other countries.
- D2. Support state, local, Tribal and territorial governments in their efforts to improve waste management to avoid adverse human health and environmental impacts, especially for communities with environmental justice concerns.
- D3. Develop a national extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework.
- D4. Facilitate more effective composting of certified compostable products.
- Objective E: Improve Capture and Removal of Plastic Pollution
EPA identifies the need for Interventions to capture and remove plastics and other materials, including micro/nanoplastics, from wastewater, stormwater and surface waters. Actions include:
- E1. Identify and implement policies and programs that effectively remove plastics and other materials from the environment, including waterways and the ocean.
- E2. Improve water management to increase the capture and removal of plastics and other materials from waterways, the ocean and stormwater/wastewater systems.
- Objective F. Minimize Loadings and Impacts to Waterways and the Ocean
This objective addresses the general priority of reducing quantities of plastic wastes that enter water bodies. Actions include:
- F1. Increase and improve measurement of plastic and other material loadings into waterways and the ocean to inform management interventions.
- F2. Increase and coordinate research on methods to determine micro/nanoplastic prevalence, impacts and mitigation.
- F3. Increase and coordinate research on macroplastic transport, degradation and impacts in waterways and the ocean.
What’s next?
EPA intends the Strategy to summarize and focus efforts to reduce plastics pollution. It’s not presently possible to predict which of these approaches will continue under the new Trump Administration
Self-assessment checklist
Does the organization produce and sell plastics products that leave wastes after end users finish with them?
If so, has the organization evaluated the volumes of such wastes, and methods available for their management?
Has the organization assumed any post-use responsibilities for such wastes?
Has the organization evaluated whether changes in design or packaging might reduce post-consumer wastes?
Do the organization’s activities include use of plastic input materials that produce waste streams?
If so, has the organization identified wastes that are subject to specific recycling, recovery or stewardship programs applicable in one or more jurisdictions?
If so, has the organization evaluated its purchasing, to identify materials that produce these wastes?
If so, has the organization evaluated the suitability of available alternatives that would not produce wastes subject to these programs?
Has the organization established onsite collection of targeted materials, and delivery of those materials to available destinations (solid waste pick-up, return to retailer, etc.)?
Does the organization track legislative and regulatory processes in order to stay informed about possible changes in applicable waste management requirements, including EPA’s National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution, and more general National Recycling Strategy?
Where can I go for more information?
- EPA
- National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution webpage
- “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” webpage
About the Author
Jon Elliott is President of Touchstone Environmental and has been a major contributor to STP’s product range for over 30 years.
Mr. Elliott has a diverse educational background. In addition to his Juris Doctor (University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law, 1981), he holds a Master of Public Policy (Goldman School of Public Policy [GSPP], UC Berkeley, 1980), and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Princeton University, 1977).
Mr. Elliott is active in professional and community organizations. In addition, he is a past chairman of the Board of Directors of the GSPP Alumni Association, and past member of the Executive Committee of the State Bar of California's Environmental Law Section (including past chair of its Legislative Committee).
You may contact Mr. Elliott directly at: tei@ix.netcom.com