Written by EA Crunden | 11/15/2021 01:38 PM US Eastern Time

A truck unloads recycled materials. AP Photo/Toby Talbot

EPA will prioritize environmental justice and climate change under the new recycling program released today, and President Biden has signed a major infrastructure law that will significantly promote the development of the industry.

The announcement was issued on U.S. Recycling Day and reflects people’s increasing emphasis on sustainability. As the public’s concerns about issues such as waste and plastic pollution have increased, so has this emphasis. But it has been criticized for its vague language and processes involving chemical recycling (converting hard-to-recycle plastics into other materials, namely fuels).

According to the plan, EPA stated that it will continue its efforts to increase the U.S. recycling rate to 50% by 2030, a goal set by former President Trump. The national recycling rate is currently hovering above 30%, and the recycling rate of certain materials such as plastics is much lower. EPA also plans to review the impact of various materials in the waste stream on the climate and justice, targeting areas related to environmental inequities.

In a statement, US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Reagan praised the plan and linked its release to the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that Biden will sign into law later today.

"Our country's recycling system needs major improvements to better serve the American people," Reagan said. He added: "Together with the bipartisan infrastructure agreement's historic investment in recycling, this strategy will help transform recycling and solid waste management across the country, while creating jobs and boosting our economy."

Taking a "circular economy" approach, the national recycling strategy has leading goals, from supporting the data and recycling collection process to the main source of anger for recyclers: pollution. Studies have found that approximately 17% to 25% of U.S. recyclables may be contaminated.

The plan also includes an assessment of recycling infrastructure and promises to focus on environmental justice and what the country needs. EPA also intends to set goals to reduce the climate impact associated with recycling and materials management.

Sacoby Wilson, a member of the EPA's National Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, said that the plan's focus on environmental justice will be the key to the future. "We must cooperate with the industry as an important source of disposable products," Wilson said in a statement. "Moreover, when we solve the recycling problem, we must address the source and whereabouts of these wastes and how they affect the health, sustainability and quality of life of communities of color."

But the agency also includes chemical recycling in its plans, sometimes referred to as advanced recycling by industry members (E&E Daily, June 25). Environmental groups have long expressed doubts about the process, saying it will lead to emissions and fail to address the true scope of the plastic problem. In contrast, the plastics and chemical industries strongly support this approach as a solution to the growing waste crisis.

The EPA emphasized that this strategy is only "part" of a broader recycling approach, but it has not given up on exploring a range of solutions. The strategy states: "When considering ways to manage materials sustainably, all options, including chemical recycling, should be discussed." "Therefore, chemical recycling is part of the scope of the strategy and further discussions are welcome."

Groups focused on recycling have largely expressed optimism about the plan. Dylan de Thomas, vice president of external affairs for the Recycling Partnership, said that the strategy demonstrates the EPA’s ability to take recycling actions and work with a range of groups to chart the way forward.

"We would like to commend the EPA for publishing something that focuses on sustainable solutions and will increase confidence in the U.S. recycling system," De Thomas said.

He also noticed the changing footage of the agency, increasingly taking into account the main issues of public concern. "One of the biggest changes we will see this year is the application of environmental justice and the focus on climate change," he said, praising the EPA for "really establishing a direct and clear connection between issues."

EPA has also been highly praised by some members of the waste industry. As the United States struggles with the number of recycling, these members are increasingly seeking government help. A few years ago, China and other countries' actions to limit the level of material contamination in the United States caused recyclers across the country to face major market problems and economic turmoil.

The industry is also paying more attention to issues such as climate change and environmental justice. Landfills are disproportionately located near low-income areas and communities of color, while landfills and incinerators are a significant source of emissions. Some environmental organizations are increasingly viewing actions such as recycling, waste reduction and composting as potential solutions to these challenges.

David Biedman, CEO of the North American Solid Waste Association, told E&E News that his organization received a briefing on EPA's strategy last week. Biederman said: "We are pleased that the EPA has expanded this strategy and used recycling as a tool to combat climate change," he added, adding that the trade organization is "committed to working with EPA and other important stakeholders to successfully implement it." This ambitious strategy."

Robin Wiener, chairman of the Waste Recycling Industry Association, also praised the EPA for "supporting" the cause that recyclers have been advocating for a long time, and viewing recycling as a key environmental solution.

Plastic supporters also cheered the strategy. Joshua Baca, who leads the American Chemistry Council's plastics work, especially cheered for the inclusion of chemical recycling. He said in a statement: “Advanced recycling is essential to achieve a circular economy for plastics,” and he called on the EPA and Congress to further open the way for the industry to advance its work.

Others were not satisfied with the plan, largely because of the elements accepted by ACC and other groups. According to the latest analysis of the EPA, the national plastic recycling rate is hovering below 9%.

"It's a good thing that the EPA has a plan. I just hope it is a better plan," said Judith Enck, who served as the EPA regional administrator during the Obama era and now leads the Beyond Plastics organization.

Like others, Enck pointed to the growth of single-use plastics as an imminent and daunting issue for the agency. Enke called it "the biggest challenge for effective recycling" and criticized the EPA's willingness to explore chemical recycling as a way forward.

"This is a gift to the chemical industry and a setback in efforts to reduce the production of plastics, which not only damage water quality, but also cause climate change issues," she said.

Even those who are satisfied with the strategy are a little worried about how the EPA will eventually achieve its goals, especially the goal of raising the tax rate to 50%. Multiple stakeholders have quietly observed that the agency's hands are bound to some extent and dependent on Congress.

The recycling targets set by former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler also hardly specify how the agency plans to achieve it. Although industry insiders agree that the Biden administration cannot regress on this number, some people said they hope the agency can announce more details as soon as possible.

One reason for hope is a major victory for the recycling industry-Biden's signature on the much-anticipated bipartisan infrastructure bill.

This huge law provides $275 million for the recycling infrastructure grant program created by the "Save Our Oceans 2.0 Act" passed by Trump in 2020 and signed by Trump. It also includes $75 million to promote recycling education and consumer participation, and incorporate language from the "Recycling Act" (S.923) into the final product.

This funding is a comfort to recyclers, and many hope that it will help EPA take measures. In some respects, the funding is insufficient-the recycling partnership is estimated to require approximately $17 billion to fully upgrade the nation's recycling infrastructure. However, TRP's de Thomas said that the campaign of Congress combined with the EPA's strategy made him optimistic.

He said: "I think we see the two parties continue to pay attention to this kind of recycling, which is really great." "I really think this is to continue and deepen this work."