The Heart of the Matter: EPA Plastic Reduction Strategy Disappoints

Plastic in a trash landfill.

With a prestigious scientific journal recently documenting microplastics in a human heart during surgery, the latest plan from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its “Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution,” was deeply disappointing, although well-intended.

In reviewing the Strategy, COA finds it:

• is not bold and fails to convey the urgency of the crisis (the Strategy is also voluntary).

• includes many of the same actions that were written years ago.

• contains no goals, no standards, no timelines, no enforcement measures, no oversight.

• fails to provide an interconnected framework of all federal agencies and their responsibilities and opportunities for plastic pollution reduction based on existing laws, regulation(s) and policies.

• includes options that can potentially increase/compound existing plastic waste problems such as composting and options for “disposal” which include plastic to fuel and incineration.

• is confusing and has no definition of plastic and meaning of “circularity” by mixing messages on disposal and chemical recycling.

• contains a few unclear financial commitments or recommendations.

Given the highly polluting, fossil fuel-connected life cycle of plastic, the public health threats resulting contamination of air, water, and land, as well as being a climate change accelerant, reducing plastic through elimination and use reduction must be a top priority. Bold, strong, enforceable actions are long overdue. In short, the Strategy fails to provide leadership needed to meet this challenge. 

Learn more about EPA’s Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution at: https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/draft-national-strategy-prevent-plastic-pollution

Read COA’s comments on EPA’s Draft Strategy: