Last year, the Biden administration formed an interagency committee to address plastic pollution. Recently, that committee released a comprehensive action plan, Mobilizing Federal Action on Plastic Pollution: Progress, Principles, and Priorities.
In its report, the Interagency Policy Committee on Plastic Pollution and a Circular Economy (IPC) points out two findings that describe the scope and scale required by the federal government to address the plastic crisis. The committee expresses the need to consider plastics’ entire lifecycle and coordinate action from all levels of government.
According to the White House, this report marks the first time the federal government has formally acknowledged the severity of the plastic pollution crisis and the level of coordination required to address it. Over thirty federal agencies, departments, offices, and bureaus participated in the IPC action plan. The participants represent various groups tasked with different responsibilities, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Cabinet-level departments, such as Justice, Transportation, Defense, Energy, Commerce, Energy, and Education. The number of agencies, offices, and other governmental entities further highlights the need for a full-court press against plastic pollution nationally.
