WWF Statement on Senate Passage of Bipartisan Recycling Legislation

The Senate this week passed two bipartisan bills from Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper, Ranking Member Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, and Sen. John Boozman that would help reduce plastic pollution by investing in America’s recycling and composting systems. The Recycling and Composting Accountability Act would direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to collect additional data on recycling and a national composting strategy, while the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act would create an EPA pilot program to build recycling infrastructure projects in rural and underserved communities. In response, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) issued the following statement from Alejandro Pérez, senior vice president of policy and government affairs:

“Last week, 61 WWF activists and staff met with members of Congress asking for action to make recycling and composting systems more accessible for all Americans. Today, we commend the Senate for passing two important measures with strong bipartisan support that will make it easier for more people to reduce plastic waste. The adoption of these practical proposals is a positive step forward to keeping plastics out of our oceans, rivers, landfills and even our bodies. We now urge the House to pass these bills to improve America’s waste management systems with the confidence that they have strong support from consumers and businesses alike to act. Future generations are counting on us to keep plastic out of nature.”