Congressman Brett Guthrie and Congressman Gary Palmer have announced a hearing to discuss advanced recycling. The event, titled “Beyond the Blue Bin: Forging a Federal Landscape for Recycling Innovation and Economic Growth,” will be held by the Subcommittee on Environment. According to Guthrie and Palmer, the hearing aims to explore new opportunities in recycling, assess current infrastructure, and evaluate if existing laws support the AI industry domestically.
The hearing is scheduled for July 16, 2025, at 10:15 AM ET in the Rayburn House Office Building. It will be open to the public and press, with a livestream available on energycommerce.house.gov.
Keefe Harrison, CEO of The Recycling Partnership, provided testimony on transforming U.S. recycling systems. With 28 years of experience, Harrison highlighted that 34 million tons of recyclable materials are landfilled annually due to outdated infrastructure. She pointed out key challenges such as limited access—only 73% of households have recycling options—and system inefficiencies leading to packaging loss.
Harrison outlined a vision where a fully functional system could create 200,000 jobs and add $8.8 billion to the economy by recycling all household materials. Her policy priorities include passing the STEWARD Act to fund rural recycling and improve data tracking, enacting the CIRCLE Act for tax credits to boost private investment in infrastructure, and engaging in the Global Plastics Treaty.
For chemical recycling technologies, Harrison emphasized environmental safeguards, economic viability, and transparency. She called for bipartisan support for policies that hold brands accountable through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and leverage public-private partnerships.
Harrison concluded that strategic federal action could help build a circular economy in the U.S., reducing waste while creating jobs and conserving resources.
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