EPA's Draft Plastics Strategy: A Road Map Of What Comes Next

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) recently released a "Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution."¹Depending on its ultimate composition, the final strategy could materially affect the regulated community, especially those manufacturing plastics, regularly using plastics, and handling waste plastics. Accordingly, such businesses would be wise to examine how the draft strategy might impact their operations and consider providing feedback by the 16 June 2023 public comment deadline.

Tied to the Biden administration's efforts to establish a circular economy, the draft strategy lays out three objectives aimed at eliminating the release of plastic waste from land-based sources into the environment by 2040.²They are: (1) reducing plastics pollution during plastic production, (2) improving post-use materials management, and (3) preventing trash and microplastics from entering waterways and removing escaped trash from the environment.