Backup — original pdf

Backup

Circular Plastic Initiatives: Progress Updates Natalie Betts, Circular Economy Program Manager Where We Are Today • Curbside recycling for all rigid plastics • Drop-off recycling for foam, film • Litter abatement crews and street sweeping • Universal Recycling Ordinance • Austin Reuse Directory • [Re]Verse Pitch Competition • Trash in Creeks Study • Signatory to New Plastics Economy Global Commitment & US Plastics Pact New Plastics Economy Global Commitment 24-34 million metric tons of plastic waste enter aquatic ecosystems every year, with a significant majority coming from land-based sources - Science, 2020 More plastic than fish Committing to Do More • Limit, restrict, or prohibit City purchases of problematic and unnecessary plastics • Encourage business to adopt reuse models • Research and development on circular plastic packaging. • Measure the capture rate for plastics by 2022, and set a quantitative target for increasing this capture rate by 2025. … 5 2 0 2 y B Committing to Do More • Set a target for replacing virgin plastic materials with materials made from at least 30% post - consumer recycled content • Joining the Government Recycling Demand Champions Program • Add plastics pollution education to the City’s current Generation Zero program for K-12 education • Increase education about plastic film recycling drop-off options … 5 2 0 2 y B US Plastics Pact US Plastics Pact • National level actions to reach New Plastics Economy vision • ARR Role: • Founding Activator • Inaugural Advisory Council member • New Business Models Workstream co-lead • Reporting Workstream member • Roadmap under development Texas Plastics Summit Texas Plastics Summit • 2-hour virtual workshop on May 4th with 40+ stakeholders Recycling • Co-hosted by ARR and State of Texas Alliance for • Stakeholders included retailers, MRFs, reclaimers, manufacturers, non-profits, government, educational institutions • Focus on identifying long and short -term collective actions to reduce plastic waste in Texas by 2025 Summit Takeaways • Selection of ideas from group: • Youth-focused education campaign • Creating an action group/coalition on problematic plastic elimination • Collecting and accessibly sharing case studies, data, standardized messaging • Public awareness campaign collaboration on contamination and/or consumption habits Beyond the Summit • Currently surveying participants to prioritize next steps • STAR Follow-Up Event in November 2021 • Implementation of priority items Thank You!