Senate Committee Will Hold Rescheduled Hearing on Impacts of Plastic Production and Disposal on Environmental Justice Communities

The Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight will hold a hearing on June 15, 2023, on “Impacts of Plastic Production and Disposal on Environmental Justice Communities.” Originally scheduled for April 27, 2023, witnesses will include:

• Angelle Bradford, Doctoral student in physiology and medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine, Volunteer Sierra Club Delta Chapter;
• Sharon Lavigne, Founder, Rise St. James;
• Chris Tandazo, Director of Government Affairs, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance;
• Kevin Sunday, Director of Government Affairs, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry; and
• Donna Jackson, Director of Membership Development, Project 21 — National Center for Public Policy and Research.

On May 2, 2023, EPA announced the release of a Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution. EPA identified three key objectives for the strategy: reducing pollution during plastic production; improving post-use materials management; and preventing trash and micro/nanoplastics from entering waterways and removing escaped trash from the environment. Comments are due June 16, 2023. More information is available in our May 2, 2023, memorandum.