Zero Waste Campaign

ActiveCampaign

THE PROBLEM:

Over 380 million tons of plastic are produced every year, with up to half of that for single-use purposes – utilized for just a few moments.  And throughout the life cycle of plastic – from production through use to the end of its useful life, whether buried or burned or dumped in our oceans – it harms our environment and our health in myriad ways. 

 

THE SOLUTION:

Real solutions will require the participation of producers and consumers, but that will not be enough without government action at every level.  What follows are policy proposals being considered now in Congress and state legislatures, that ASBN will be tracking at the federal and state level for the Zero Waste campaign.  Please help support our effort by calling or emailing the primary sponsors of the bills listed below. To help you in that effort, we have drafted a simple message you may use in whole or in part.  Feel free to edit this message or craft your own as an email or phone message to these legislators.

 

Sample Script for Emails and Calls

Dear_________ (fill in the title and name of legislator),  

Thank you for sponsoring the ____ (fill in relevant bill).  I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your efforts and that it is important to me that you continue to advocate for a circular economy through the measure you’ve sponsored.  Thank you for your time and for all you are doing to move us toward Zero waste in ______. (either “our country” or fill in state)

 

Legislative Targets

FEDERAL

Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2021 (S.984 & H. 2238) - creates requirements and incentives to reduce the production of a variety of products and materials, including plastics, and increase efforts to collect, recycle, or compost products and materials. It makes certain producers financially responsible, phases out use of single-use products, creates a temporary moratorium on new or expanded permits for certain facilities that manufacture plastics until regulations are updated to address pollution from the facilities, creates new regulatory requirements and establishes limitations on the export of plastic waste to other countries.

 

Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) 

Capitol Office: (202) 224-3753 

Email: https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact/

 

Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-CA 47)

Capitol Office: (202) 225-7924  

Email: https://lowenthal.house.gov/zip-code-lookup?form=/contact/email-me

 

CALIFORNIA 

 *There is also a proposed ballot measure on this issue, however, this measure covers a broader range of materials and the ballot intiative could be withdrawn if this bill passes before June.

SB  54 –  Plastic Producer Responsibility Act - prohibit producers of single-use, disposable packaging or single-use, disposable food service ware products from offering for sale, selling, distributing, or importing in or into the state such packaging or products that are manufactured on or after January 1, 2032, unless they are recyclable or compostable. Builds off existing legislation with a state policy goal that not less than 75% of solid waste generated be recycled, composted, or reduced. 

 

Primary Sponsors:

 Ben Allen (D) 

Capitol Office: 916-651-4026 

District Office: 310-318-6994 

Email: Senator.Allen@Senate.CA.Gov

 

 Henry Stern (D) 

Capitol Office: 916-651-4027  

Calabasas Office: 818-876-3352 

Email:Senator.Stern@senate.ca.gov

 

Scott Wiener (D)

Capitol Office: 916-651-4011 

Email Contact: https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/contact

 

Lena Gonzalez (D), Lorena Gonzalez (D), Al Muratsuchi (D), Phil Ting (D).   

Fiscal Note did not list Lena Gonzalez (D) as primary, but Legiscan did 

Co-Sponsors: Josh Becker (D), Tasha Boerner Horvath (D), Wendy Carrillo (D), Sydney Kamlager (D), Luz Rivas (D) 

 

From bill analysis: “more than seven out of 10 cities anticipate having to increase waste collection rates by as much as 20 percent to cover the cost of managing the additional waste.”

 

NEW JERSEY:

A4676 – (S2515 is companion) – Establishes postconsumer recycled content requirements for rigid plastic containers, glass containers, paper and plastic carryout bags, and plastic trash bags; prohibits sale of polystyrene loose fill packaging.  

 

Primary Sponsors: 

Annete Quijano (D) 

Office Phone: 908-327-9119 

Email: AswQuijano@njleg.org  

 

Mila M. Jasey (D) 

Office Phone: 973-762-1886

 AswJasey@njleg.org   

 

John F. McKeon (D) 

Office Phone: 973-377-1606 

Email: AsmMcKeon@njleg.org

 

Co-Sponsors:  

Clinton Calabrese (D), asmcalabrese@njleg.org (201) 943-0615    

Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D) https://www.valeriehuttle.com/contact  

 

NEW YORK 

S.1185 - Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging & Printed Paper (Kaminsky) 

Establishes the extended producer responsibility act requiring covered materials and product producers to develop and implement strategies to promote recycling, reuse and recovery of packaging and paper products 

 

Primary Sponsor:  

Todd Kaminsky (D)

District Office phone: 516-766-8383  

Email: kaminsky@nysenate.gov

Can create an account to message his office here https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/todd-kaminsky/contact

This has 36 co-sponsors, 34 Democrats and 2 Republicans 

S.5027 - Extended Producer Responsibility for Carpet (Kavanagh) 

Relates to establishing the carpet stewardship program; establishes a carpet stewardship advisory board; requires the establishment of a carpet stewardship plan to be approved by the commissioner of environmental conservation; establishes the carpet administrative fund 

 

Primary Sponsor:

Brian Kavanaugh (D)  

Albany Office Phone: 518-455-2625 

Email: kavanagh@nysenate.gov

 

Co-Sponsors: 

Alessandra Biaggi (D)  

District Office Phone: 718-822-2049  

Email: biaggi@nysenate.gov  

 

Rachel May (D)

Albany Office phone: 518-455-2838 

Email may@nysenate.gov  

 

WASHINGTON

SB 5697  Renew Act – Renewing Washington’s recycling system and reducing waste. Companion Bill HB 2003   

Includes product stewardship for packaging and printed paper, including recycling and reuse 

targets, accurate labeling provisions and requirements for post-consumer recycled content in plastic tubs, thermoform containers (e.g., clamshells), and single-use cups.  This bill implement the top recommendations in Ecology’s Plastics Study (October 2020) which was required by Senator Rolfes’ SB5397 in 2019 to address our recycling crisis and the increasing amount of plastic pollution. 

https://app.fiscalnote.com/bills/12034663

 

Primary Sponsors: 

Senator Mona Das (D)

Olympia Office: 360-786-7692 

Legislative Hotline 1-800-562-6000   

Email: mona.das@leg.wa.gov

 

Use this portal to fill in an email: https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/memberEmail/47/0  

Representative Brandy Donaghy 

Phone: 360-786-7804 

Email: https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/memberEmail/44/1