Austin, Anne Idsal. “Efforts to Regulate Plastic Pollution Likely to Increase in 2023.” Waste Management – United States, 19 Jan. 2023, www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/waste-management/1272904/efforts-to-regulate-plastic-pollution-likely-to-increase-in-2023.
The biden administration have proposed environmental legislation that aims to increase the amount of plastic that is being recycled by the United States. It is likely that plastic waste will be a big vocal point for the biden administration and for congress. The United States government has recently started to implement more goals and legislators aimed at reducing plastic waste and fighting climate change. There has been more pressure put on the EPA to better reduce the plastic waste of the United States. Much of the effects of these new governmental actions are yet to be seen and will need time to see their impacts.
I think that the government has to be more proactive in their fights against climate change and plastic waste. They keep setting up meaningless goals with no concrete plans put in action to reach those goals. Unless there is a big push and major change to our plastic usage those goal will stay out of reach. However I do think that the new legislation is a step in the right direction for the United step, it is one out of a thousand steps that must be taken to prevent further damage to our environment. The push for environmental policy must also extend past one term and shouldn’t be dismantled on the basis of political differences. In order to make change there must be a unified effort from all parties involved including the government and the people.
The first step of a thousand. Well put, Luca. The key to me in your abstract is “reducing plastic waste”. The problem is plastic really can’t be truly recycled like aluminum and glass. I think this is where the hang up is. Not that we want to do away with plastic entirely, but single use plastic really has to go away entirely. Tell that to the packaging industry.
So when the Biden administration proposes legislation to increase plastic recycling it’s almost like they are playing ignorant to the scientific problem with recycling plastic… or who knows, maybe they know something we don’t.
This is a classic externalized cost. After reading several articles about plastic (thanks for your good reporting!) what do you think is the solution this problem (the next steps of the 1000 step journey?)
Thanks for the comment. I think the only true solution to the plastic epidemic is through the replacement of plastic with a biodegradable, easy-to-manufacture alternative. In order to create this alternate material there need to be more investments into new innovations in plastic alternatives rather than plastic recycling.
I agree with you and how you believe that the government needs to stop making goals that will never come true, and that this is a step in the right direction. It shocks me how many goals our government makes, that are never put into play.
What are other steps our government can take in order to reduce plastic waste?
Thanks for the comment. Another way to reduce plastic waste would innovate a replacement for plastic that would be easy to produce and biodegradable.
I agree with you and how you believe that the government needs to stop making goals that will never come true, and that this is a step in the right direction. It shocks me how many goals our government makes, that are never put into play.
What are other steps our government can take in order to reduce plastic waste?
I forgot to log in on the other comment that’s why there are 2 from me