December 2023 Vol. 78 No.11

Features

Inside infrastructure: Addressing increasing hostility toward plastic products

By Eben M. Wyman, Wyman Associates  

It often seems like the ongoing assault on all things plastic has no end in sight. In the construction industry, shortsighted efforts to reduce production of, and access to, plastic products can have lasting impacts at a time when dilapidated infrastructure is finally getting the attention – and funding – it needs in the wake of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other recent legislation.  

Material of choice 

First invented in 1870, the earliest plastic products were made from celluloid. Other compounds took hold in later decades.  

Both durable and affordable, plastics were churned out of factories at unprecedented rates during World War II. When the war ended, American manufacturers turned their attention to a growing market for cheap consumer goods. No longer bogged down by wartime concerns, Americans wanted more and at lower costs. 

From the Tupperware parties of the 1950s to the use of plastic grocery bags and beverage containers, utensils and packaging, our reliance on plastic products has only increased. And by most estimations, plastic production is only expected to grow.  

In the construction realm, plastic piping, conduit and other products and materials play a fundamental role. Plastic piping systems are sustainable and environmentally responsible because they are energy-efficient during manufacturing and provide protection from contamination during service.  

Strong, durable, lightweight and flexible, these piping systems require considerably less energy to manufacture, transport and install than metal or concrete alternatives. With superior resistance to corrosion and abrasion, plastic piping systems also provide a long service life, excellent joint performance and relatively leak-free protection. 

According to the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI), plastics are the right choice for water service, drainage, fuel gas, conduit and plumbing and heating. Other pluses for plastic pipes include: 

• Long-term service life 
• Highly resistant to corrosion, abrasion and chemicals 
• Strong, durable, flexible and lightweight 
• Longer-length pipe with leak-proof joints 
• Lower labor requirements for installations 
• Significant overall cost savings 

Resurrecting bad policy

Today, corporations, municipalities and even federal agencies are proposing and implementing bans on single-use plastic products. The same businesses that once benefitted from public excitement over plastics are increasingly feeling public pressure to use alternatives.  

According to PPI and other advocates of plastic piping and infrastructure, America doesn’t have a “plastics problem,” we have a recycling problem. As efforts continue to address plastic pollution to our oceans and waterways, the focus should be on expanding our recycling capacity, not on restricting the production of critical plastic materials and products that are heavily relied on in virtually all infrastructure markets. 

Nonetheless, Democrats in Washington are now bringing back their most comprehensive plastics legislation with what they say are stronger targets aimed at reducing single-use plastics, eliminating toxic substances in packaging, and strengthening environmental justice provisions. 

The new version of the sprawling Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2023, which was introduced in late October by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) renews a call for national, extended producer responsibility programs requiring companies to pay more to support recycling.  

It incorporates previous legislation that failed to advance through the process, such as the Protecting Communities from Plastics Act and the Plastic Pellet-Free Waters Act, which would limit construction permits for new plastics factories and require EPA to crack down on pellet leakage from plastic manufacturing plants.  

Specifically, the new “Break Free” bill would: 

• Expand extended producer responsibility policy. 
• Prohibit permits for new or expanded facilities within five miles of schools, daycare centers, hospitals, parks or places of worship. 
• Create a nationwide 10-cent beverage container refund program for all beverage containers, regardless of material, to be refunded to customers when they return containers. 
• Establish aggressive source reduction targets for single-use plastic products and beverage containers.  
• Reduce and ban certain single-use plastic products that are not recyclable (foam products used in food service, plastic utensils, single-use condiment packaging, etc.).  
• Establish grant programs to support reusable and refillable products .  
• Pause new plastic facility permits until environmental justice and health protections are put in place. 

• Establish clean water/air requirements at plastic facilities, as well as environmental justice provisions. 
• Require EPA to set targets for reducing single-use plastics and shifting more packaging to refillable and reusable formats. 
• Require EPA to prohibit discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastic into waterways from facilities and sources that make, use, package or transport pellets.  

Although the legislation would exempt medical products, personal protective equipment and products for public health or for people with disabilities, the legislation would carry harmful impacts to the plastic manufacturing industry responsible for making the durable products that are essential to American infrastructure and productivity.  

The plastic piping industry is doing its part to support expansion of America’s recycling capacity, and the association strongly opposes shortsighted efforts to eliminate access to plastics or restrict plastics manufacturing in any way. The “new and improved” Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act would hurt the nation’s economy and the more than one million men and women who are employed by the plastics industry, as well as other industries reliant upon plastics as an essential part of the American supply chain. 

PPI believes that federal policies and investments targeting increased recycling are critical to America’s economic success, driving domestic job creation and yielding environmental benefits by reducing waste, conserving natural resources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  

The plastic products PPI members manufacture are an integral part of the solution to the global issue of sustainability and circularity in construction. They provide favorable life-cycle benefits, lower greenhouse gas emissions and highly efficient installation practices, compared to other piping materials. Thousands of facilities across the U.S. are involved in the manufacturing of plastics, and this legislation will likely prompt many to close or move offshore to countries with less burdensome environmental regulations.  

In short, enactment of this bill could reflect the beginning of the end of manufacturing materials widely considered to be the most sustainable compared to alternatives. In the piping arena, plastic pipe has proven to be far superior than the antiquated iron, steel and copper materials that exist in traditional infrastructure that supports energy, water, wastewater and telecommunications systems.  

PPI and several other organizations and coalitions are working to assess the merits of several initiatives to bolster and expand recycling processes associated with numerous industries. Congress should allow the industry to strengthen efforts such as the “Operation Clean Sweep” pellet spill containment program and other efforts to combat plastic pollution and expand our recycling capability.  

Solving the complex challenge of recycling collection and improving waste management requires everyone to play a role. Plastics producers, product manufacturers, retailers, recyclers and waste haulers, as well as communities, nonprofits, and federal, state and local governments must come together to support the circular solutions and infrastructure this problem requires.  

According to the American Chemistry Council, there have been more than 90 announced investments in mechanical and advanced recycling in the U.S. since 2017. These projects are valued at more than $8 billion and have the potential to divert over 20 billion pounds of waste from landfills.  

Sen. Merkley and Rep. Huffman framed the Break Free bill as the best way to address public health and toxic emissions problems, in addition to recycling. Meanwhile, industry generally agrees that the law is more extreme than earlier versions of Break Free and moves further away from what they consider workable. 

Making recycling a national priority 

Industry is working with government, industry stakeholders and communities to create a circular economy for plastics and achieve the Environmental Protection Agency’s goal of increasing the national recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030. To achieve this goal, adoption of a nationwide recycling strategy to create a stronger, more resilient domestic recycling system, is essential.  

Earlier this year, PPI released a position statement on recycling policy, saying “federal policies and investments targeting increased recycling are critical to America’s economic success, driving domestic job creation and yielding environmental benefits by reducing waste, conserving natural resources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”  

PPI believes plastic piping is an integral part of the solution to the sustainability and circularity in construction, providing favorable life-cycle benefits, lower greenhouse gas emissions and highly efficient installation practices, compared to other piping materials. PPI’s recommendations include: 

• Support policy and legislative efforts that increase access to recycling and increase recycling rates, particularly in underserved communities; drive research, innovation and investment toward circular solutions; and encourage the use of products made from recycled plastic. 
• Advocate for a nationwide recycling network that supports integrated waste management systems; modernizes collection, sorting and processing; and implements national labeling standards. 
• Increase recycling capability by supporting both the expansion of traditional mechanical recycling and complementary advanced recycling.  
• Improve the economics and quality of plastics recycling by improving design and supporting innovation to make plastics and plastic products easier to recycle; and expanding and improving the separate collection of plastic waste to ensure quality inputs to the recycling industry. 
• Promote sustainability with policies based on sound science, engineering and data that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encourage recycling for all packaging materials, and advance market-based solutions to prevent plastic waste and marine debris. 
• Develop technical resources (standards, specifications, procedures, processes, tools) to guide and assure the responsible use of recycled plastics in our piping products without compromising the intended long-term serviceability. 

Uninformed efforts to address plastic pollution by restricting the manufacturing of plastics are sure to continue, and reasonable policymakers must avoid the unintended consequences that will likely follow enactment of the new Break Free legislation. Industry organizations have to continuously educate lawmakers and agency representatives about the need for plastic piping, conduit, and other materials.  

There is plenty of work to do to expand America’s recycling capacity, which should be a national priority. At the same time, lawmakers and the many in the “environmental” community should re-evaluate legislation that would restrict the production of and access to critical plastics needed to rebuild and repair failing infrastructure systems. 

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