Letter of Support for the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2020

Dear Senator Udall and Representative Lowenthal,
The undersigned organizations strongly support the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act as a comprehensive
bill in Congress that adequately addresses the plastic pollution crisis. This bill shows a commitment to real
solutions by reducing throwaway plastics and encouraging producer responsibility while combating false
solutions such as incineration or a solitary focus on recycling.
The plastic pollution crisis has grown so massive that our waste management systems are unable to handle it.
Without reducing plastic waste or holding producers accountable, the burden falls on local governments and
taxpayers. This legislation provides the opportunity to create a circular economy of reusable products rather
than throwaway plastics made from fossil fuels.
Plastics generate greenhouse gases at every phase of their life cycle: fossil fuel extraction and transport,
refining and manufacturing, usage, waste management, and unmanaged plastic that permeates our land, water,
and air. In 2019, it’s estimated that plastic production and incineration emitted 850 million metric tons of
greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent to 189 500-megawatt coal-fired power plants operating at full
capacity, and this is a conservative estimate (CIEL et al., 2019). It is clear we cannot solve the climate crisis
without bold legislation aimed to mitigate plastic pollution.
Plastic pollution harms our environment and communities. Endangered wildlife eat and get caught in plastic
pollution each year, suffering and dying as a result. Microplastics contaminate our air and drinking water and
even the most remote places on Earth, from the Mariana Trench to the Arctic.
With the plastic industry’s plan to increase production of plastic by 40 percent over the next decade comes a
serious threat not only to wildlife and the climate, but also to public health and safety. Pollution from the
plastic industry exposes communities to chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, neurological damage,
endocrine disruption and other serious health problems. Petrochemical facilities that create plastic and
incinerators that burn plastic are often located in communities of color and low-income communities that bear
the brunt of their dangerous pollution. The plastic pollution crisis is also an environmental justice crisis.
This bill builds on a growing nationwide movement anchored in local battles to fight the plastic pollution
crisis. It will effectively reduce waste by phasing out certain plastic products, placing add itional
responsibility on manufacturers for waste management, restricting the export of plastic waste, and pausing
new plastic production. The United States must be a global leader in confronting the plastic pollution crisis,
and the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act charts the way forward. Senator Udall and Representative
Lowenthal, we thank you for your critical leadership on this urgent issue.
Sincerely,
U.S. Representative Alan Lowenthal
108 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
U.S. Senator Tom Udall
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
350 Butte County
350 Eastside
350 Eugene
350 Fairfax
350 Marin
350 New Orleans
350 Sacramento
350 Santa Cruz
350 Silicon Valley
350 Triangle
350 Wichita
350Brooklyn
350 Kishwaukee
5 Gyres
7th Generation Advisors
Adventures in Waste
Albany Berkeley Plastic
Reduction Working Group
Algalita Marine Research &
Education
Alliance for a Green Economy
Alliance for Democracy (US)
Alliance of Climate and
Environmental Stewards
Already Devalued and Devastated
Homeowners of Parsippany
Altamaha Riverkeeper
Alter Terra
American Bird Conservancy
American Public Health
Association
American Sustainable Business
Council
AmPark EcoCore
Anacostia Riverkeeper
Anacostia Watershed Community
Advisory Committee
Animals Are Sentient Beings, Inc.
Apalachicola Riverkeeper
Art Parts Creative Reuse Center
Association of University Centers
on Disabilities
ASU
Atchafalaya Basinkeeper
Audubon Naturalist Society
Ayer Recycling Committee
Aytzim: Ecological Judaism
Azul
Azulita
Backbone Campaign
Bag Free Wichita
BAN SUP
Battle Creek Alliance
Bay Area-System Change not
Climate Change
Bayou City Waterkeeper
Beaver County (PA) Marcellus
Awareness Community
Beaverdam Creek Watershed
Watch Group
Bergen SWAN
Berks Gas Truth
Berkshire Environmental Action
Team (BEAT)
Berkshire Zero-Waste Initiative
Better Path Coalition
Better World Shopper
Beyond Plastics
Big Reuse
Black Warrior Riverkeeper
Blue Frontier
Blue Sphere Foundation
Bluecology
Boston Building Resources
Boston Clean Energy Coalition
Boulder Waterkeeper
Break Free From Plastic
Breast Cancer Action
Breathe Easy Susquehanna
County
Breathe Project
Bridgewater Green Committee
Brooklyn Bridge CSA
Buckeye Environmental Network
Bucks Environmental Action
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper
BYO Madison
Cafeteria Culture
Cahaba Riverkeeper
California Association of
Sanitation Agencies
California Environmental Justice
Coalition (CEJC)
California for Progress
California Product Stewardship
Council
California Young Democrats
Environmental Caucus
Californians Against Waste
Californians for Western
Wilderness
CALPIRG Students
Campaign for Renewable Energy
Canton Residents for a
Sustainable, Equitable Future
Cape Cod Anti-Litter Coalition
Inc.
Cape Fear River Watch
Carol L Lindsey, Consulting, LLC
Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation
CEA
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Coalfield Justice
Center for Environmental Health
Center for International
Environmental Law (CIEL)
Center for Sustainability at
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Center for Zero Waste Design
Central California Asthma
Collaborative
CEO Pipe Organs/Golden Ponds
Farm
CERBAT: Center for
Environmentally Responsible
Building Alternatives
Chelmsford Sustainability
Committee
Cherokee County Solid Waste
Chico 350/ 350 Butte County
ChicoBag / To-Go Ware
Christian Reformed Church
Office of Social Justice
Christians For The Mountains
Church Women United in New
York State
Circle Pines Center
Citizen’s Coalition for a Safe
Community.
Citizens for Water
Citizens Regeneration Lobby
City of Greenbelt
City of Winters
Clean Ocean Action
Clean Water Action
Climate Action Group of the
Unitarian Society of Northampton
and Florence
Climate Action Mondays
Climate Crisis Policy
Climate First: Replacing Oil and
Gas (CFROG)
Climate Reality CWPA Chapter
Climate Reality Project Los
Angeles Chapter
Climate Reality Project:
Pittsburgh & Southwestern PA
Coachella Valley Waterkeeper
Coalition Against the Pilgrim
Pipeline NJ
Colorado Medical Waste
Colorado Riverkeeper
Columbia Riverkeeper
Columbus Community Bill of
Rights
Common Ground Compost LLC
Community Advocates for a
Sustainable Environment
Community SPOTLIGHT
Concerned Citizens Against
Industrial CAFOs
Concerned Health Professionals
of New York
Concerned Ohio River Residents
Congregation of Our Lady of
Charity of the Good Shepherd,
U.S. Provinces
ConnPIRG Students
Conscious Container
Conservation Congress
Conservation Law Foundation
Container Recycling Institute
Cook Inletkeeper
Coosa River Basin
Initiative/Upper Coosa
Riverkeeper
Creation Care Action & Advocacy
from the Baltimore-Washington
Conference of the United
Methodist Church
Cruzan Enterprises
Damascus Citizens for
Sustainability
Defiance Canyon Raptor Rescue
Designs For A Better World
Do Good Soaps and Suds
Don’t Gas the Meadowlands
Coalition
Don’t Waste Arizona
Earth Democracy Committee
Earth Ethics, Inc.
Earth Island Institute
Earthworks
East Yard Communities for
Environmental Justice
Eastern Region Association of
Forest and Nature Schools
EcoAction Arlington
Ecological Rights Foundation
Ecology Center
Ecosystem Strategies
Elders Action Network
Elders Climate Action
Emmanuel United Methodist
Church, Laurel MD
End of Waste Foundation, Inc.
Endangered Habitats League
Endangered Species Coalition
ENGN Civic Creative Center
Environment America
Environment and Human Health,
Inc.
Environment California
Environment Maine
Environmental Action Committee
of West Marin
Environmental Advocates of New
York
Environmental Caucus of Florida
Environmental Health Trust
Environmental Justice Center of
Chestnut Hill United Church
Environmental Protection
Information Center
Environmental Stewardship
Advisory Board
Environmental Youth Council of
St Augustine
Equitable Health Solutions, LLC
Extinction Rebellion Kentucky
Fairmont MN Peace Group
Families Advocating for Chemical
and Toxics Safety (FACTS)
Family Farm Defenders
Feminists in Action
FinalStraw
Florida Public Interest Research
Group
FLOW (For Love of Water)
Frac Sand Sentinel: Project
Outreach
FracTracker Alliance
Franciscan Action Network
FreshWater Accountability
Project
Friends Committee on Legislation
of California
Friends of Merrymeeting Bay
Friends of the Earth US
Friends of the Kaw
Friends of the Wild Swan
Fund for Wild Nature
Garrettsville Board of Public
Affairs
Gas Free Seneca
Genesis Farm
Geos Institute
Gila Resources Information
Project
Global Alliance for Incinerator
Alternatives
Good Neighbor Steering
Committee
Grassroots Environmental
Education
Great Egg Harbor Watershed
Association
Green America
Green Party of Nassau County
Green Party of Seattle
Green Team, Unitarian
Universalist Society of Greater
Springfield
Greenaction for Health and
Environmental Justice
Greenebank Consulting
GreenLatinos
Greenpeace USA
Guernsey County Citizens
Support on Drilling Issues
Gunpowder Riverkeeper
Hands Across the Sand / Land
Hannah4Change
Haw River Assembly
Hawai’i Institute for Human
Rights
Hawaii Public Health Association
Heal the Bay
Health Promotion Consultants
Healthy Gulf (formerly Gulf
Restoration Network)
HealthyPlanet
Heartwood
Heirs To Our Oceans
Hesperian Health Guides
Home ReSource
Honeydew Advisors
Hull Family Foundation
iEat Green, LLC
Indivisible Georgia 04
Indivisible OC 48
Indivisible Pittsfield
Inland Ocean Coalition
Institute for Policy Studies
Interfaith Climate Action Network
of the Interfaith Council of CCC
Interfaith Earthkeepers of
Eugene/Springfield, OR
International Marine Mammal
Project of Earth Island Institute
Island Seafoods, Inc.
Its Easy Being Green
Jackpine Savage Guide Service
JamPac (Jamesville Positive
Action Committee)
Jewish Climate Action Network
MA
John G. Shedd Aquarium
Just Salad
Justice Action Mobilization
Network
Keep Massachusetts Beautiful
Klamath Forest Alliance
Labor Network for Sustainability
League of Conservation Voters
Lee Greener Gateway Committee
Levanah Farm
LINKCO Inc
Living Rivers
Lonely Whale
Louisiana Bucket Brigade
ManaSota-88, Inc.
Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory
Board
Marcellus Outreach Butler
Marin Sanitary Service
Maryknoll Sisters Eastern Region
USA
MaryPIRG
Mass Recycle
MendoRecycle
Mid-Missouri Peaceworks
Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Mission Blue / Sylvia Earle
Alliance
Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper
MountainTrue
Movement for a People’s Party
MSW Consultants, LLC
NAACP Berkshire Branch
National Advocacy Center of the
Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Stewardship Action
Council
Natural Resources Council of
Maine
Nature Coast Conservation, Inc.
NC WARN
Neighbors of the Northwest
Branch of the Anacostia River
Network of Spiritual Progressives
New England Aquarium
New Jersey Highlands Coalition
New Jersey Tenants Organization
New Mexico Environmental Law
Center
New Mexico Interfaith Power and
Light
New Mexico Recycling Coalition
New York Climate Action Group
New York Heartwoods
New York Progressive Action
Network – Enviro Committee
North American Climate,
Conservation and Environment
(NACCE)
North Country 350 Alliance
Northern Jaguar Project
Northwest Coalition for
Responsible Investment
NY Buddhist Climate Action
Network
NY4WHALES
NYC H2O
Ocean Conservation Research
Oceana
Oceanic Global
Oceanic Preservation Society
Ogeechee Riverkeeper
Ohio Valley Environmental
Coalition
Olympic Climate Action
Orange County Coastkeeper
Oregon Physicians for Social
Responsibility
OSPIRG
OVEC – Ohio Valley
Environmental Coalition
Pasco Activists
PAUSE – People of Albany
United for Safe Energy
PDA, AZ Chapter
Peace Action New York State
Peconic Baykeeper
Pelican Media
Peninsula Interfaith Climate
Action
People Over Pipelines
People’s Climate Movement –
Capital Region
Physicians for Social
Responsibility
Physicians for Social
Responsibility PA
Physicians for Social
Responsibility, AZ Chapter
Pinelands Preservation Alliance
Plastic Free Sharon
Plastic Oceans International
Plastic Pollution Coalition
Portland Community College
Post-Landfill Action Network
Presentation Sisters
Product Stewardship Institute
Progressive Democrats of
America
Project Coyote
Protect PT (Penn-Trafford)
Public Citizen
Public Laboratory for Open
Technology and Science
Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
QEW
Quic Service Bike Shop
Rachel Carson Council
Rachel’s Network
Raritan Headwaters
RE Sources
Reach Out America
Reconstructionist Rabbinical
Association
Recycle Across America
Resist the Pipeline
Resource Renewal Institute
RESTORE: The North Woods
Reuse International
Rio Grande International Study
Center
River Guardian Foundation
Riverdale Jewish Earth Alliance
RootsAction.org
Safe Climate Campaign
San Antonio Bay Estuarine
Waterkeeper
San Francisco Baykeeper
SanDiego350
Santa Barbara Standing Rock
Coalition
Santa Cruz Climate Action
Network
Santa Fe Conservation Trust
Save Our Shores
Save Our Sky Blue Waters
Save The Hills Alliance, Inc.
Save The River Upper St.
Lawrence Riverkeeper
Save Wolves Now Network
School Without Walls at Francis
Stevens DCPS
Sea Hugger
Seaside Sustainability
Seattle Aquarium
Seeding Sovereignty
Seneca Lake Guardian
Sequoia ForestKeeper®
Sierra Club
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas’
Justice Team
Sisters of St. Dominic of Blauvelt,
New York
Sixth Street Community Center
Slow Food DC
Snake Conservation Society
Snake River Waterkeeper
SoCal 350 Climate Action
Society of Alternative Resources
SocioEnergetics Foundation
South Asian Fund For Education,
Scholarship and Training
(SAFEST)
South Carolina Interfaith Power
and Light
South Shore Recycling
Cooperative
South Yuba River Citizens
League
Southern Utah Wilderness
Alliance
Spokane Riverkeeper
Spottswoode Winery, Inc.
Stop NY Fracked Gas Pipeline
Stop the Algonquin Pipeline
Expansion
Story of Stuff Project
Strategy Zero Waste Solutions
Suncoast Waterkeeper
Sunrise Movement Bay Area
Sunrise Movement Howard
County
Surfrider Foundation
Sustainable McDonough
Sustainable Ocean Alliance at the
University of Maryland
Sustainable Sharon Coalition
Sustainable Sudbury
Sustainable Upton
Sustaining Way
Tar Sands Action Southern
California
Tennessee Riverkeeper
Texas Campaign for the
Environment
Texas Environmental Justice
Advocacy Services (T.E.J.A.S.)
The 5 Gyres Institute
The Center for Oceanic
Awareness, Research, and
Education (COARE)
The Climate Mobilization
Hoboken Chapter
The Climate Mobilization-Santa
Barbara Chapter
The Enviro Show
The Great American Rain Barrel
The Lands Council
The Last Beach Cleanup
The Last Plastic Straw
The New School
The Rewilding Institute
The River Project
The Shame Free Zone
The Story of Stuff Project
The Wei LLC
Think Zero LLC
Town of Wellfleet Recycling
Committee
Toxics Action Center
Toxics Information Project (TIP)
Transition Sebastopol
Turtle Island Restoration Network
U.S. Public Interest Research
Group (PIRG)
Unexpected Wildlife Refuge
Unitarian Universalist
Pennsylvania Legislative
Advocacy Network (UUPLAN)
UO Climate Justice League
Upper West Side Recycling
UPSTREAM
Urban Bird Foundation
UU FaithAction NJ
Valley Watch, Inc.
Valley Improvement Projects
(VIP)
Vermont Public Interest Research
Group (VPIRG)
Vokashi, Inc.
Vote-Climate
Wabash Riverkeeper Network/
Banks of the Wabash, Inc.
Wasatch Clean Air Coalition
Waste Task Force
WATCH, Inc
Waterkeeper Alliance
Waterkeepers Chesapeake
Weather Medic Inc
WESPAC Foundation
West 80s Neighborhood
Association
Western Watersheds Project
White Rabbit Grove RDNA
White River Waterkeeper
Wholly H2O
Wild Nature Institute
WILDCOAST
WildEarth Guardians/Rio Grande
Waterkeeper
WilderUtopia
Willamette Riverkeeper
Winyah Rivers Alliance
Women Working for Oceans
Women’s International League for
Peace & Freedom, US
WWALS Watershed Coalition,
Inc.
Yellowstone to Uintas Connection
Young Democrats of America
Environmental Caucus
Zanker Recycling
Zero Waste Arlington
Zero Waste Kauai
Zero Waste Marin
Zero Waste Society
Zero Waste Washington