Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act

Summary#

This bill tells the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to write a final rule within 60 days of enactment. The rule must stop the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastic materials into wastewater, spills, and runoff from certain facilities. It covers facilities listed in parts 414 or 463 of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations and any point source that makes, uses, packages, or transports those materials. The bill also requires these limits to appear in wastewater, stormwater, and other permits issued under section 402 of the Clean Water Act and in applicable standards of performance under section 312(p) of the Clean Water Act.

What it means for you#

• If you operate or manage a facility that makes, uses, packages, or transports plastic pellets or other pre-production plastic materials, your EPA or state-issued permits must include a prohibition on discharging those pellets into wastewater, runoff, or spills.
• The EPA must issue the final rule within 60 days after the law is enacted.
• Permits and performance standards that apply to these kinds of facilities will be updated to reflect the new prohibition.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on costs or budgetary effects is included in the bill text or accompanying materials.

Proponents' View#

The bill requires the EPA to ban discharges of pre-production plastic pellets and to make those limits part of permits and standards. Sponsors and supporters are directing the Agency to take those regulatory steps to address pellet discharges.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opposition or opponents' views is included in the bill text or provided materials.