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United States · Bill · S

S. 984 (117th)

Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

25 March 2021

Last action

25 March 2021 · Introduced

Status

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Sponsors

Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT], Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA], Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT], Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA], Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA], Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]

Subjects

Environment, Taxation

Source updated

20 January 2026

Environment · Taxation

Summary

Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021 This bill sets forth 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. The bill makes certain producers of products (e.g., packaging, paper, single-use products, beverage containers, or food service products) fiscally responsible for collecting, managing, and recycling or composting the products after consumer use. In addition, the bill establishes (1) minimum percentages of products that must be reused, recycled, or composted; and (2) an increasing percentage of recycled content that must be contained in beverage containers. Beginning on January 1, 2023, the bill phases out a variety of single-use products, such as plastic utensils. The bill also sets forth provisions to encourage the reduction of single-use products, including by establishing programs to refund consumers for returning beverage containers and by establishing a tax on carryout bags. The bill 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. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must publish guidelines for a national standardized labeling system for recycling and composting receptacles. Producers must include labels on their products that are easy to read and indicate whether the products are recyclable, compostable, or reusable. The EPA must also ensure that certain clothes washers have filtration units as required by this bill. Finally, the bill establishes limitations on the export of plastic waste to other countries.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 25 March 2021

    Introduced

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 25 March 2021

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in Senate (text)

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  • Introduced in Senate (text)

    Introduced in Senate · EN · 25 March 2021

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

  • Introduced in Senate (PDF)

    Introduced in Senate · EN · 25 March 2021

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

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  • Introduced in Senate

    summary · EN · 25 March 2021

    Open at official source

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Sponsors

Related records

Sources

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