Existing U.S. Federal Authorities to Address Plastic Pollution

An ELI Public Webinar

This event is free and open to the public but you must register by June 28th.

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Plastic pollution and its impacts on human health and the environment is emerging as a defining crisis of our time. The United States has set a national goal to eliminate plastic release into the environment by 2040 and is currently engaging in international negotiations on a global plastics treaty while simultaneously developing a national strategy.

A recent report published by ELI and the Monterey Bay Aquarium provides a comprehensive overview of the existing legal authorities the U.S. federal government can leverage to achieve the national goal while safeguarding human health and the environment. Building on the comprehensive solutions framework established by a 2022 Congressionally-mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the report categorizes federal authorities—spanning executive orders, legislation, regulations, and associated programs—into specific "intervention” phases along the plastic life cycle, from plastic production to release to the environment. The report arrays these interventions alongside relevant authorities and their implementing agencies. Through discussions of each authority’s text and traditional application, the report describes how the federal government’s existing authorities can address plastic pollution across various stages of the plastic life cycle.

Join authors of the report and plastic and chemical pollution experts for a presentation on the plastic pollution crisis, an overview of the report, key takeaways, and opportunities for the United States domestically.

Panelists:

• Cecilia Diedrich, Staff Attorney, Environmental Law Institute, Moderator 
• Margaret Spring, Chief Conservation and Science Officer, Monterey Bay Aquarium 
• Mary Ellen Ternes, Partner, Earth & Water Law, LLC 
• James Pollack, Senior Associate, Marten Law