Reply from Senator Markey

 

EDWARD J. MARKEY MASSACHUSETTS		255 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510 (202) 224-2742
	United States Senate   January 10, 2022

 

Thank you for contacting me about the Rewarding Efforts to Decrease Unrecycled Contaminants in Ecosystems (REDUCE) Act of 2021 (S. 2645). It was good to hear from you.

The REDUCE Act of 2021 (S. 2645) was introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on August 8, 2021 and referred to the Committee on Finance. This legislation would establish a 20-cent per pound fee on the sale of new plastic used for single-use products. I will continue to monitor the status of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process. In the Senate, I have long supported critical efforts to fight the continued pollution of our oceans by plastics and other marine debris. I am a cosponsor of the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (S. 984), which seeks to combat the plastic crisis by reducing and banning certain single-use plastic products, reforming our recycling collection system, and protecting environmental justice communities from the burden of toxic emissions from plastic waste.

Additionally, on August 10, 2021, I voted to pass the $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) out of the Senate, and in November 2021, President Biden signed this bill into law. This legislation included the Recycling Enhancements to Collection and Yield through Consumer Learning and Education (RECYCLE) Act of 2021 (S. 923), which will provide $75 million to support public education about recycling. The IIJA also provided $275 million to fund the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act (S. 1982), which was passed by Congress—with my support—and signed into law in 2020 by then-President Trump. Save Our Seas 2.0 seeks to help cut down on the production of plastic waste, improve our domestic ability to reuse and recycle plastic waste, and help other countries take steps to limit their plastic use.

The rapid increase of plastic production poses a serious threat by polluting our environment with litter, contributing to climate change through the plastic manufacturing process, and negatively impacting our health. Environmental justice communities are disproportionately impacted by this crisis, as they suffer most from the harms associated with plastic production and disposal.

While recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators, most plastic waste in the United States is not successfully recycled. To truly address the plastic crisis, it is imperative that we work to not only improve recycling efforts, but also address excessive production and use of plastic.

I will continue to support and lead on efforts to address the escalating plastic pollution crisis, and thank you for your shared concern on this critical issue.

Thank you again for contacting me about this issue. If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. To sign up for my newsletter, visit http://www.markey.senate.gov/newsletter.  You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

 

Sincerely, 

Edward J. Markey
United States Senator