Turning plastic waste into plastic lumber isn’t recycling
Most of Amazon’s plastic packaging isn’t being recycled, and some might end up as material for plastic decking instead.
Recycling & compost
Nearly all of America’s trash could be composted and recycled. But we’ve got a lot of work to do to get there.
Most of us put our recyclables out for collection. But it’s going to take more than individual action to deal with our trash problem. Only 24% of our trash actually gets recycled, and only 9% gets composted. We can do better. Together we can share information, resources and push our leaders to build a better recycling and composting system.
The Latest on Recycling & compost
A look back at what our unique network accomplished in 2023
The hidden cost of Amazon Prime Days
Updates
Producer Responsibility bill heads to Senate Floor
Featured Resources
Truth in recycling
Products without packaging: How refill stores can help solve the plastics crisis
Reducing plastic waste in the states
Trash in America 2021
The Latest
Lawmakers and public push Whole Foods to put “Planet Over Plastic” at upcoming annual meeting
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland -- Environment Maryland Research & Policy Center, Maryland PIRG Foundation, along with their national affiliates sent 59,000 petitions and a letter signed by more than 40 state lawmakers Thursday to Whole Foods urging the company to commit to a comprehensive plan for phasing out single-use plastic packaging from its stores. This follows a March 2021 letter signed by more than 130 advocacy and community groups calling on the national supermarket chain to adopt a bold response to the plastic pollution crisis.
Lawmakers and public push Whole Foods to put “Planet Over Plastic” at upcoming annual meeting
AUSTIN, Texas -- Environment America Research & Policy Center, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Student PIRG sent 59,000 petitions and a letter signed by more than 40 state lawmakers Thursday to Whole Foods urging them to put planet over plastic.
2021 Legislative Session Review
The Maryland General Assembly adjourned on Monday, April 12th, bringing an end to the largely remote session due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislature was hard at work making up for time lost since the 2020 session ended early, and considered a wide range of issues impacting our access to clean air to breath, clean water to drink, and clean energy to power our lives. We are grateful for the effort the general assembly put in this year to consider bills on climate action, and are ready to continue pushing these policies forward.
Statement: Maryland legislature drops ball by failing to pass Plastic Bag Reduction Act
ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland legislature wrapped up it’s 2021 session on Monday without passing the Plastic Bag Reduction Act. The bill would have stopped retailers from distributing single-use plastic bags starting in July 2022. The House version of the legislation, HB314, was sponsored by Del. Brooke Lierman and moved through the Maryland House of Delegates in March. But the act never received a vote in the state Senate. The companion Senate bill, SB223, was sponsored by Sen. Malcolm Augustine.
Maryland Department of the Environment fails to justify delay in implementation of foam ban
Single-use plastic continues to threaten our health, communities and wildlife
