WASHINGTON (March 29, 2017) – The U.S. Senate today introduced a bipartisan bill (S. 756) to reauthorize the NOAA Marine Debris Program and promote international action to reduce marine debris. The American Chemistry Council, which has partnered with a broad range of stakeholders to prevent and create solutions for marine debris, issued the following statement, which may be attributed to ACC’s President and CEO Cal Dooley:
“The American Chemistry Council today applauded Senators Sullivan (R-AK), Whitehouse (D-RI) and Booker (D-NJ) for their bipartisan leadership in introducing the Saving Our Seas Act. We also would like to thank Senators Coons (D-DE), Inhofe (R-OK), Murkowski (R-AK), Peters (D-MI) and Tillis (R-NC) for cosponsoring this legislation.
We strongly support several features in this much needed bill, including the reauthorization of the Marine Debris Act, provisions to further study land-based waste management solutions and causes of marine debris, and increased investment and technical assistance to help expand waste management systems in rapidly industrializing nations.
Companies that use chemistry to make plastics for a range of packaging and consumer goods that help us to live more sustainably applaud this legislation, and we are fully committed to the goal of keeping waste of all kinds out of our ocean. We look forward to continuing our work with the Oceans Caucus, NOAA, the State Department and other stakeholders to enhance international engagement in improving land-based waste management practices to address marine debris, and the bill’s sponsors to bring this legislation to the President’s desk.
Every day, the products of chemistry, including many plastics, improve our quality of life while contributing to sustainability by allowing us to do more with less. Today’s chemistry and plastics help to reduce energy use, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and significantly reduce waste. The Saving our Seas Act will help develop and promote the use of more effective practices for managing these resources after their initial use through recycling and energy recovery, where feasible, or proper disposal.