Act Now: Defend Advanced Recycling

Tell Texas leaders that NOW is the time to support advanced recycling, a crucial technology to help address plastic waste, increase recycling rates, and support a more circular economy for plastics. Act now before it’s too late!

Dear [Lawmaker],

As a constituent concerned with accelerating progress toward a more circular economy, I urge you to support advanced recycling - a technology that is critical to addressing the issue of plastic waste.

Advanced recycling is a complement to traditional (mechanical) recycling, and society needs both. Only a small percentage of plastic waste is recycled today, but advanced recycling can help. Advanced recycling is a proven solution that converts difficult-to-recycle plastic waste into raw materials that can be used to make a variety of valuable new products.

Plastics make modern life possible, helping to defend against disease, preserve food, and save lives. A 2023 study completed by sustainability consultants Trayak, and reviewed by a panel of independent experts shows replacing plastic packaging with alternative materials such as paper, glass, aluminum, and steel can have a negative environmental impact. Across the categories assessed by Trayak, polyethylene packaging had a lower potential environmental impact in 81% of comparisons.

With advanced recycling, Texas can lead the charge toward a more circular economy. The ExxonMobil facility in Baytown, TX has processed more than 70 million pounds of plastic waste as of October 2024. It also has unveiled plans to invest $200 million to expand its advanced recycling capacity in Texas to 500 million pounds of plastic waste per year. We must continue to support innovative solutions.

With effective government policies in place to modernize the recycling system, improve waste management, and support advanced recycling technologies, more plastic materials can be collected, sorted, and recycled, especially plastics that aren’t easily recycled today.

This innovative technology can help address plastic waste, increase recycling rates, and support a more circular economy for plastics. It is for these reasons that I urge you to support advanced recycling in our great state.

Thank you for your support,
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