Urge your Members of Congress to support the Break Free from Plastic Prevention Act

Please, reach out to your Members of Congress to support the Break Free from Plastic Prevention Act of 2021 (H.R. 2238, S.984) and to thank Rep. Grijalva for co-sponsoring the Act.

Below is the letter drafted by the head of  Sustainable Tucson's Zero Plastic Waste Team, Kevin Green. You can cut and paste your message on their website (addresses below.)

Rep. Kirkpatrick
https://kirkpatrick.house.gov/contact/email-me/
Phone: 520-881-3588

Rep. O'halleran
https://ohalleran.house.gov/zip-code-lookup?form=/contact/email
520-316-0839

Sen. Sinema
https://www.sinema.senate.gov/contact-kyrsten
(520) 639-7080

Sen. Kelly
https://www.kelly.senate.gov/
520-475-5177

To thank Rep. Grijalva for being a co-sponsor of the act:

Rep. Grijalva
https://grijalva.house.gov/contact-raul/
(520) 622-6788

Sample letter:

I am reaching out to urge you to support the Break Free from Plastic Prevention Act of 2021 (H.R. 2238, S.984). Introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA), this bill represents the most comprehensive set of policy solutions to the plastic pollution crisis ever introduced in the U.S. Congress.

Introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA), this bill represents the most comprehensive set of policy solutions to the plastic pollution crisis ever introduced in the U.S. Congress.

The United States generates more plastic waste than any country in the world. Plastic is made from fossil fuels by processes that cause air pollution and contribute to climate change. Up to 50% of plastics manufactured are for single-use purposes — used for just a few moments and then discarded. Most plastic is never recycled — over 90% of it ends up in landfills or our oceans.

Plastic pollution is inundating our communities, our waterways, and even our bodies. It is making its way into our food, drinking water, and even the air in the form of microplastics — plastic debris that breaks up into smaller and smaller particles.

Plastic contributes to climate change at every step of its life cycle, from extraction to refinement, manufacture, transportation, disposal, and waste.

The BFFPPA will tackle the exploding crisis of plastic pollution and transform waste and recycling management in the U.S. Key provisions of the bill include:

• Phasing out unnecessary single-use plastics,
• Establishing national recycling targets,
• Shifting responsibility for waste management and recycling to the manufacturers and producers,
• Establishing minimum recycled content standards,
• Encouraging a shift to refillable and reusable alternatives,
• Creating a moratorium on new plastic production facilities

These changes are all important to help ensure a healthy and climate resilient future.

We cannot simply recycle our way out of a crisis this massive. Corporations and plastic producers must take responsibility for the waste created by their products. We must address the problem at the source by reducing the amount of single-use plastic we use and encouraging a shift toward better and reusable materials.

Please support this national legislation that is crucial to meaningfully addressing the plastic waste problem.