American Chemistry Council and US plastics producers demand unified government action on circular economy

20 Jul 2021 --- Leading US plastics producers have outlined five actions the country’s government can take to further a circular economy for plastics. The action plan follows surveys showing both widespread public support for radical moves to tackle plastic waste as well as bipartisan support across the nation’s political divisions. 

In a recently published roadmap, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and America’s Plastics Makers – a collaborative organization of some of the country’s top plastic packaging manufacturers – called on the US Congress to create and enforce nationwide policies that could ensure plastic packaging is reused. 

“It’s time to accelerate the circular economy for plastic packaging,” says ACC’s Joshua Baca, vice president of plastics. “We need Congress to act on a comprehensive national strategy that will capture the value of used plastic by engaging the entire plastics value chain, from plastic makers to brand companies to all Americans.”

“We’re proposing a new way of looking at plastic waste that will lead to a circular economy in which plastics are routinely reused. These policies will divert plastic waste from landfills and our ocean, conserve natural resources, and help drive down greenhouse gas emissions.”

Industry leaders are calling for a unified government approach to capture the value of recycled plastics in the US.The five-point plan 
The report proposes US Congress commit to a five-point plan that would make industry access to valuable recycled material easier and help circularize the plastics economy: 

• Require all plastic packaging to include at least 30 percent recycled plastic by 2030 through a national recycled plastics standard.
• Create a modern regulatory system that enables rapid scaling of advanced recycling while continuing to grow mechanical recycling.
• Direct the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to bring together the plastics value chain and municipalities to develop a national recycling framework for plastics.
• Engage the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study that compares the impacts of raw materials and use its findings to guide future policies.
• Establish a US-designed producer responsibility system for packaging to help increase recycling access, collection and outreach for all materials, including plastics.

Advanced Recycling Technologies
Baca also emphasizes the importance of advanced recycling in boosting levels of recycled plastic and achieving a national standard. “These technologies and capabilities can help the more than 400 global brands that have committed to using more recycled plastics in their packaging to achieve their circular business goals,” he remarks. 

“Advanced recycling also will allow recycled plastics to be used broadly in more demanding applications, such as packaging for food, pharmaceutical and medical-grade products, which is currently limited.”

These advanced technologies, Baca says, will help achieve America’s Plastic Makers’ two circular economy goals: make 100 percent of US plastic packaging recyclable or recoverable by 2030 and 100 percent reusable, recycled or recovered by 2040.

Popular and political support 
A majority (84%) of US consumers support the advanced recycling techniques, according to America’s Plastics Makers.The report also points to a consumer survey conducted on behalf of America’s Plastics Makers, which shows a strong majority of US citizens (83%) want “big, bold steps to address plastic waste.”

The survey also found 82 percent of US citizens are actively looking for solutions that allow plastics to be reused, and 84 percent support advanced recycling technologies that convert plastic waste into new plastics and products.

Moreover, the survey showed “broad bipartisan support across parties, ideologies and demographics.” Nearly two-thirds of Republicans say they want the plastics industry to work with the Biden administration, which according to the report, indicates most Americans see the plastic waste issue as too important to get sidetracked by partisan politics.

US’s recycling system 
This year, the US Recycling Leadership Council (RLC) published a report calling for the unification of the country’s disparate recycling systems for a circular economy. The report suggested the almost 10,000 different waste management systems around the nation make achieving environmental sustainability targets exceedingly difficult. 

According to a recent Rabobank report, advanced recycling technologies, which the ACC report insists must be employed alongside traditional mechanical recycling methods to achieve circular economy targets, are predicted to double by 2025.

PackagingInsights recently discussed the advantages and pitfalls of these expanding technologies with a strategist from Rabobank. 

Edited

By Louis Gore-Langton