California legislators introduced a bill that creates a packaging stewardship organization and adds packaging fees paid by producers. The bill is the latest in a flurry of plastics-related legislative activity in the state.

Efforts to combat coronavirus spread have produced a plastics surge.

That ramped-up plastic production provides fresh impetus to proposals aimed at curbing how much of that material gets dumped into the environment.

Manufacturers have been working overtime to supply disposable personal protective equipment, takeout food containers and packaging required for all those home deliveries.

Officials in some areas last year also delayed or rolled back restrictions on single-use plastic bags.

Data shows that American exporters continue to ship plastic waste overseas, often to poorer countries, even though most of the world has agreed to not accept it.

When more than 180 nations agreed last year to place strict limits on exports of plastic waste from richer countries to poorer ones, the move was seen as a major victory in the fight against plastic pollution.

As some local governments in Washington consider steps to reduce the rising cost of their recycling programs, we’ve signaled our intent to increase the value of recycled commodities by investing a half-million dollars in local communities. Ecology’s Recycling Development Center awarded a total of $504,073 to 10 local governments and one university to help develop and grow markets for recycled materials. The Center was established by the Washington State Legislature in 2019 to strengthen existing markets for recyclable materials.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 has issued a Request for Applications (RFA) from eligible entities to improve community health, resilience, and/or sustainability through pollution prevention and/or sustainable materials management implementation. 

The Washington Senate approved legislation March 2 that would require increased recycled content in plastic beverage containers, trash bags and bottles for household products; ban expanded polystyrene food ware, recreational coolers and packing peanuts; and require that utensils, straws, cup lids and condiments only be provided to customers on request.

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The legislation, introduced by the leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, would impose new permitting requirements on plastics producers, establish recycled content standards and institute a national bottle bill.

Continue reading at Recycling Today