Though the United States has taken significant steps toward a greener future in energy and transportation there is still work to do in addressing the vast amount of plastic in our environment.

Despite heavy emphasis on recycling, 90% of plastics still aren’t recycled, ending up in landfills instead. As a concerned citizen, access to more recycled materials could help our society and businesses act more sustainably. The federal government can take concrete steps toward addressing this problem and create a more sustainable future by supporting the expansion of advanced recycling technologies.

New innovations in this technology have increased the types and amounts of plastics that can be recycled, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and keeping plastic out of landfills while creating new materials that can be remade into virtually any plastic product or packaging that we depend on today.

Since 2017, the industry has announced more than 40 products that could divert 17 billion pounds of plastic waste from landfills each year. That’s the equivalent of 20 Empire State Buildings. With hundreds of companies committing to make 100% of their packaging recyclable and composed of 25-50% recycled content, advanced recycling technologies will be instrumental in helping companies achieve this goal.

I encourage Senators Fetterman and Casey to support the expansion of this pivotal technology. Advanced recycling gives us the opportunity to not only reduce plastic waste, but to bring down CO2 emissions, an ultimately, create a cleaner, sustainable future.

VIVIAN ALTMAN

Westfield

Submitted by email