FPA Signs Coalition Letter in Opposition to Maryland House Bill 21

We are writing to ask you to oppose Maryland House Bill 21 which would ban use of advanced recycling in the state. Advanced recycling is an important emerging technology that helps eliminate plastic waste from the environment and supports achievement of state and local sustainability and zero waste goals. Banning this recycling innovation would increase the amount of landfilling and materials in the environment, squander potential recycling of valuable material, and forgo economic growth and opportunity. This innovative technology (sometime referred to as chemical conversion) converts post-use plastics into their original building blocks to produce new plastics, waxes, and other valuable products. It’s important to note that plastics are not burned during advanced recycling. Advanced recycling technologies often use thermal energy (heat), but take place in the absence of oxygen, so there is no combustion.