Tell the EPA to Stop the Plastic to Fuel Pipeline

From PennEnvironment (http://www.pennenvironment.org):

The entire life cycle of plastic is toxic. Plastic is made from oil and gas. Plastic products can choke or even kill our wildlife. Plastic pollution dirties our waters and parks.

But things could get even worse: Right now, plastic producers are melting plastic and turning it back into fuel in a process they call “chemical recycling.”¹

Well, we call it a plastic to fuel pipeline. And right now, you have the chance to help stop this.

As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accepts comments on regulating the plastic to fuel pipeline, will you add your name to stand up against this practice AT https://pennenvironment.webaction.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=47288?

Single-use plastics can contain more than 100,000 chemicals.² Now, a process that burns these plastics, emits toxic pollution, and produces more oil to be burned sounds like a bad idea, right?

Well, we can break it down together. Let’s say 100 tons of plastic enters a facility. Here’s what happens next:

• Processors fire up the engines and begin burning fuel to start melting that plastic.³
• At least 50 tons — more than half — of the plastic that enters the facility leaves immediately as a form of harmful pollution.⁴ Not to mention melting plastic releases toxic ash into our air and sludge that seeps into our water.
• Once all is said and done, voila: the remaining plastics are successfully converted to oil, which will be burned for fuel and worsen the climate crisis.

So … it’s definitely a bad idea. The plastic to fuel pipeline is just pollution stacked on more pollution with a side of climate-warming emissions — and you don’t have to have it.

Tell the EPA: Don’t let facilities freely melt plastic into fuel.

We can’t forget that enabling these plastic-to-fuel facilities would incentivize producers to make more plastics. More plastics could devastate our vulnerable birds, fish and other wildlife who mistake plastic pollution for food, often with dire consequences.

Facilities operating the plastic to fuel pipeline have already been built in nearly a dozen states — with more pending.

If this practice moves forward, our air and water will see more toxic pollution, our wildlife will see more plastics in their only home, and our climate will see even more global warming pollution.

Send your public comment to the EPA urging the agency to regulate “chemical recycling” today.

1. Sam Ballingrud, “Clearing the Air: US EPA Looks to Revamp Pyrolysis and Gasification Regulations,” The National Law Review, October 19, 2021.
2. Claire Arkin, “Chemical Recycling: Miracle Cure, or Snake Oil?,” GAIA, last accessed October 20, 2021.
3. Claire Arkin, “Chemical Recycling: Miracle Cure, or Snake Oil?,” GAIA, last accessed October 20, 2021.
4. Claire Arkin, “House Democrats Fall for Fossil Fuel Industry Greenwashing Scheme, “Chemical Recycling” in Climate Plan,” GAIA, July 27, 2021.