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Stop chemical recycling

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Petrochemical plant

“Advanced recycling” and “chemical recycling” are the two new greenwashed terms in town. The process primarily involves converting plastic into fuel. A pretty expensive and roundabout way of burning fossil fuels, if you ask us.

The chemicals industry is lobbying hard to get two types of these plastic-to-fuel incinerators - pyrolysis and gasification - exempt from regulations under the Clean Air Act. And the American Chemistry Council (ACC) recently announced it would try to introduce legislation that would promote these false solutions to our plastic waste crisis. 

This is incredibly dangerous, given that the EPA reportedly found that pollution from an associated plastic-based fuel poses a one-in-four risk of cancer. 

Letting these incinerators escape the Clean Air Act would particularly harm the low-income communities and communities of color where most pyrolysis and gasification facilities exist, and where they are likely to be sited in the future. It would also set a terrible precedent, encouraging other polluting industries to pursue their own special exemptions. 

Take action now. Demand that your representatives call on the Biden Administration to reject these proposed exemptions under the Clean Air Act and vote NO on any such legislation that promotes these false solutions to our plastic waste crisis.  

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