Tracking the future of US recycling policy in Congress

International trade decisions, fluctuating commodity markets and concerns about infrastructure have taken a toll on U.S. recycling programs in the past few years, sparking Congress to introduce a significant number of recycling-related bills. The coronavirus pandemic stalled legislative momentum in 2020 — with the exception of Save Our Seas 2.0 — but the bills have made a comeback in 2021.

The proposed legislation could dramatically change the way the U.S. handles recycling in the next few years, whether it’s through infrastructure investments, organics recycling, education, product bans, or bottle bills and extended producer responsibility initiatives.