The Biden-Harris administration announced two commitments to phase out single-use plastic across the federal government to help address the plastic pollution crisis. As part of an existing executive order, the commitments call for the phase-out of all single-use plastic products across US federal government agencies by 2035, and a phase-out of all single-use plastic products in food service, packaging, and events by 2027.
The administration also released a report outlining necessary steps for a whole-of-government approach to addressing plastic pollution.
“As the single largest consumer in the world, the US federal government has an outsized role to play in curbing the use of problematic and unnecessary plastic products,” said Erin Simon, vice president and head of plastic waste and business at WWF. “The administration’s commitment to removing single-use plastic products across an entity this large goes beyond the positive environmental effects, sending a message to the public and private sector across the world: if we can make change happen at scale, so can you.”
The Mobilizing Federal Action on Plastic Pollution report provides the necessary strategic analysis to meet the goals of the commitments and answers calls from non-governmental organizations and business communities that advocate for policies like federal Extended Producer Responsibility that, if enacted, set us on a path toward solving our domestic plastic problem. Extended Producer Responsibility—or EPR—is a program designed to reframe how recycling systems are funded and managed by transferring the cost and operation of recycling from individuals and communities to the companies that use these materials for their products and packaging. This responsibility would incentivize companies to keep the materials in the system, transforming how we create, use, and reuse plastic and other packaging.
These commitments mark an encouraging step ahead of world leaders gathering in November to continue talks to develop an international legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.
“Cleaning up the global plastic mess must start at home,” Simon said. “And today under President Biden and Vice President Harris’ leadership, the US government is doing exactly that. The world is watching; now is the time for bold commitments and concrete action on plastic.”
You can help. Sign on to urge world leaders to act strongly and decisively in developing the full content of a global plastics treaty by the end of 2024.
