Merkley Celebrates Senate Passage of His Bipartisan Bill to Enhance Reduce and Reuse Systems Nationwide

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee—announced that his bipartisanResearch for Environmental Uses and Sustainable Economies (REUSE) Actunanimously passed the Senate. Merkley leads theREUSE Actwith West Virginia’s U.S. Senator and EPW Committee Chairman Shelley Moore Capito. TheREUSE Actis a significant step forward in reducing waste and conserving resources across America by ensuring that reuse and refill systems are integral pillars of our circular economy.
“For years, we were taught the three Rs—reduce, reuse, and recycle; but too often the reality with plastics is the three Bs—buried, burned, and borne out to sea,”said Merkley.“We are on the way to improving reuse systems as theREUSE Actcomes even one step closer to becoming law. When we better understand how reuse and refill systems most effectively operate, we are better able to create a healthier planet and future.”
The bipartisanREUSE Actdirects the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to collect data on reuse and refill systems across various sectors, including consumer packaging, personal care products, and wholesale shipping of retail goods. This legislation also instructs the EPA to provide information on the types of support at the local, state, and federal levels that could enhance reuse and refill systems. This information will help inform stakeholders about how to harness the environmental benefits and economic potential of reuse and refill systems.
Merkley’sREUSE Actis endorsed by dozens oforganizationsandbusiness leaders.
To learn more about theREUSE Act, including the full text of the legislation, clickhere.
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