Reducing plastic waste
We're pushing for strong global, federal, and state-level action to transform how we produce, recycle, and dispose of plastic.
During WWF’s annual Lobby Day on March 7, 61 dedicated activists and staff met with members of Congress to advocate for robust plastic pollution policies.
Just a week later, the Senate passed two of the bills we advocated for in a positive step forward to keep plastics out of nature. The Recycling and Composting Accountability Act would enhance recycling data collection and establish a national composting strategy and the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act would create a US Environmental Protection Agency pilot program for recycling projects in rural and underserved areas. We’re now urging the House to send these pragmatic measures to President Biden to improve America’s waste management systems with the confidence that they have strong support from consumers and businesses alike to act.
Businesses and environmental groups, including WWF, have urged the president to show strong federal leadership to enact policies like Extended Producer Responsibility that incentivize companies to reduce their plastic footprints and keep plastic out of nature.
Such policies are already moving forward at the state level. WWF is urging Minnesota lawmakers to pass the Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act that would require all packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2032 now that it has advanced through multiple committees in each legislative chamber.
We’re also setting our sights on global efforts to reduce plastic waste. Negotiators made strides at the most recent round of talks in Ottawa, but there is still significant work ahead when leaders meet once more at the end of this year to complete a robust global agreement that addresses the entire lifespan of plastic.
