Biden Administration Considers Phasing Out Single-Use Plastics by Federal Government
The General Services Administration (GSA) has begun seeking public feedback on a proposed regulation that would phase out the use of single-use plastics in the Administration’s contracts. The GSA manages the day-to-day affairs of a wide array of government agencies, including property construction/management, professional services, equipment/supplies, and IT. This agency’s shift away from single-use plastics has the potential to substantially reduce plastic waste by the federal government.
Environmental groups have praised the proposed rule, which follows a petition headed by the Center for Biological Diversity and signed by 180 other organizations. The petition called on the federal government to cut down single-use plastics, highlighting the GSA’s unique power to move private markets towards sustainable practices and renewable energy.
Emily Jeffers, the petition’s author, praised the GSA’s move by noting the Administration’s ability to reduce plastic pollution, citing that “the Biden Administration has a real opportunity to stem the toxic tide of single-use plastic that’s pouring into our oceans, killing our wildlife, and contaminating our bodies. To protect human health and our environment, the federal government needs to lead the way in radically reducing plastic use.”
This effort follows a similar move by the Department of the Interior, which has committed to phasing out the sale of single-use plastics on public lands by 2032.
The GSA will accept feedback on the proposed rule until September 6th.
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