Proposed Legislation to Combat U.S. Plastic Pollution
How federal and state initiatives aim to reduce plastic waste and protect ecosystems across the United States.
Plastic pollution has become a defining environmental crisis in the United States, threatening wildlife, contaminating food and water supplies, and imposing growing costs on communities. As the nation that produces more plastic waste than any other, the U.S. is under mounting pressure to implement bold legislative solutions. This article examines the breadth of proposed federal and state legislation targeting plastic pollution, explores their mechanisms, and highlights the urgency and complexity of the path toward a plastic-free future.
The Scale of the Crisis: Why Plastic Pollution Demands Legislative Action
Plastic waste is now ubiquitous in oceans, rivers, soils, and the atmosphere. Microplastics have been found in drinking water, seafood, and even human blood. The pollution crisis stems primarily from short-lived products—single-use packaging and disposable consumer goods—that account for the majority of plastic waste ending up in landfills or the environment
- **85%** of Americans agree that plastic pollution is a serious problem demanding immediate action
- The U.S. produces more plastic waste than any other country, making domestic policy reforms essential for global progress.
- Wildlife and marine habitats are severely impacted, with plastics causing choking, ingestion, and toxic chemical exposure.
- Communities bear the costs of cleanup, health hazards, and infrastructure challenges linked to plastic waste.
Federal Environmental Policy: A Shifting Landscape
Federal action on plastic pollution has been inconsistent, shaped by competing economic, political, and industrial interests. While some policymakers advocate ambitious reductions and new regulatory frameworks, recent years have also seen significant deregulatory pushes.
- Deregulation Trends: The EPA has rolled back numerous environmental protections, including pollution standards and regulations for chemical recycling facilities
- Executive Orders: Recent executive actions have ended federal requirements to use paper straws, reinstated plastic straws in federal operations, and halted previous commitments to phase out single-use plastics on federal lands by 2032.
- Industry Influence: Petrochemical and plastic industries have lobbied for increased plastic production and downplayed upstream waste reduction, favoring end-of-pipe waste management like chemical recycling.
Despite these setbacks, a new wave of legislative proposals signals robust momentum for change, focused especially on single-use plastics and corporate accountability.
Tackling Single-Use Plastics: Priority Areas for Legislation
Single-use plastics are the front line of the pollution crisis. From packaging to food service items, these products are used briefly but persist in the environment for centuries. Reducing these plastics is a core objective of several proposed federal and state bills:
- Two-thirds of plastic waste is generated from products with short lifespans.
- Packaging alone accounts for about 40% of all U.S. plastic waste.
- Toxic materials such as polystyrene (foam), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and certain black plastics are of particular concern for their environmental and health impacts.
Key Federal Bills Targeting Single-Use Plastics
- The Farewell to Foam Act: Proposes banning the sale of polystyrene foam in federal facilities, targeting one of the most pervasive and non-recyclable forms of plastic waste.
- The Reducing Waste in National Parks Act: Would phase out single-use plastic products from some of America’s most iconic natural environments.
- The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (BFFPPA): One of the most comprehensive bills in Congress, seeks to systematically reduce single-use plastics nationwide through ambitious waste-reduction targets and a new regime of producer accountability.
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Extended Producer Responsibility: Shifting the Burden
A pivotal feature of many proposed bills is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Under EPR, plastic producers and manufacturers—not taxpayers or municipalities—bear financial and logistical responsibility for managing the waste their products create.
- Encourages companies to
References
- https://www.earthday.org/turning-the-tide-3-types-of-federal-bills-targeting-the-menace-of-plastic-pollution/
- https://foodpackagingforum.org/news/2025-regulatory-and-waste-management-updates-from-us-states
- https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/national-strategy-prevent-plastic-pollution
- https://statecapitallobbyist.com/environment/plastic-bag-ban-legislation-states-push-forward-on-single-use-plastics-reform/
- https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48293
- https://2021-2025.state.gov/key-topics-office-of-environmental-quality-and-transboundary-issues/plastic-pollution/
- https://sustainablepackaging.org/2025/09/23/packaging-policy-news/
- https://www.earthday.org/turning-the-tide-on-plastic-pollution-the-recycling-refund-and-litter-reduction-act-of-2025/
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