Phillips Introduces Bipartisan, BicameralI RECYLE Act to Reduce Waste and Protect Environment from Plastic Pollution

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and David Joyce (R-OH) and Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced the RECYLE Act, a bipartisan bill that would lead to vast improvements in community and residential recycling programs.

Recycling is one of the simplest ways to protect the environment, yet consumer confusion often impedes efforts to reduce waste. In fact, according to the EPA, nearly $9 billion worth of recyclable materials are thrown away each year. The RECYCLE Act would fund education and outreach programs meant to increase recycling rates and share best practices across the country. Improved recycling is especially important as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand for PPE and other single-use plastics has increased waste by an estimated 30%, with the majority of that waste ending up in landfills or the natural environment.

“Plastic pollution is one of the worst environmental crises in decades, yet across the country, people remain confused about how to dispose of materials responsibly,” said Rep. Phillips. “That’s why I worked with my colleagues on the RECYCLE Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that gives local communities the tools they need to keep our lands, rivers, and lakes pollutant free. Let’s get this bill to the President’s desk and prove once and for all that preserving our environment is an American issue, not a partisan one.”

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Reps. Phillips, Joyce Introduce RECYCLE Act to Increase Participation in Community Recycling

WASHINGTON, DCFebruary 13, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) introduced H.R. 5906, the bipartisan Recycling Enhancements to Collection and Yield through Consumer Learning and Education (RECYCLE) Act. The bill authorizes $15 million per year for five years in grants to states, tribes, nonprofits, public partnerships, and local governments looking to increase community outreach, awareness and education on recycling.

The RECYCLE Act also directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a model recycling toolkit to increase recycling participation and decrease contamination, strengthening recycling streams, while more frequently updating guidelines for products containing recycled material.

“Around the country, people are expressing confusion about recycling guidelines –often it’s not at all clear how best to dispose of materials responsibly,” Rep. Dean Phillips said. “This bill will lower the number of recyclable materials that end up in the landfill due to contamination. I am proud to co-lead the RECYCLE Act with Rep. Joyce, and I look forward to working with my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to get this to the President’s desk.” Continue reading “Reps. Phillips, Joyce Introduce RECYCLE Act to Increase Participation in Community Recycling”