The Last Straw? Recent Actions And Outlook For Single-Use Plastics

Key Points

• Weakness in the United States recycling model has been exposed by dramatic action in Asia, prompting a flurry of legislative activity at the local, state and federal level.
• Proposals extend beyond food, beverage and bag manufacturers and could reach an expansive class of single-use plastics familiar to consumers.
• Given the early stage of policy-making, companies have an opportunity to help shape solutions.
• On Wednesday, March 4, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change held a hearing entitled, “America’s Plastic Waste Crisis.” This hearing signaled the most recent focus of policy-makers on issues related to the U.S. plastics recycling market.