HOUSE DEMOCRATS SEEK CRACKDOWN ON MICROPLASTICS – USA

Posted on May 27, 2022 by DrRossH in Plastic Limiting Regulations

Source

House Democrats want to crack down on small plastic pellets that have grown notorious for their links to environmental contamination.

Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) unveiled legislation yesterday targeting the discharge of the pellets, often called “nurdles,” into the environment. The “Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act” would direct EPA to draft regulations prohibiting the discharge of that material into vulnerable water systems.

“For too long, the plastics industry has been allowed to police itself when it comes to ensuring their pellets don’t end up in the environment,” Lowenthal, chair of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, said in a statement.

“The industry has failed abysmally, and with that failure created an environmental problem of crisis levels. It is time for the plastics industry to step up and cover the costs of ensuring their products remain in their facilities and do not end up in our environment.”

This should have been in place decades ago.