Manufacturing is the bedrock of Pennsylvania’s economy, and the plastics industry is a driving contributor. Pennsylvania’s plastics industry provides 40,000 jobs (97,000 when you include chemicals and rubber production) and generates more than $17 billion in annual sales.

The strategic importance of Pennsylvania’s plastics industry cannot be overstated. Our nation’s transportation, energy, consumer goods, defense, and healthcare all depend on plastics. They are responsible for most healthcare products and medical devices, the building blocks for renewable energy, high-performing building materials, food packaging, electronics, clothing, vehicles, military equipment, and more.

Everywhere you turn throughout the day, Pennsylvanians rely on plastics for the modern quality of life we all enjoy.

Modern society and Pennsylvania’s economy are stronger because of its chemical and plastics manufacturers and demand is expected to increase. Our industry also understands that the health of the planet is dependent on all of us and that’s why they are making significant investments to develop new, safe, and innovative ways to make products and operations more sustainable.

Expanding advanced chemical recycling, decarbonizing supply chains, and using diverse energy sources to reduce emissions are all industry priorities that are driving significant investments, new job creation and sustainability. Innovative recycling technologies, in particular, are poised to support our much-needed domestic plastics supply while addressing the growing challenge of plastic waste management.

However, the industry’s ability to advance new and innovative technologies continues to face unnecessary barriers that hinder its growth. Recently, the Trump Administration, led by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, took action to repeal unnecessary regulatory burdens that stalled investments in a burgeoning industry.

In 2023, the Biden Administration’s EPA imposed Significant New Use Rules (SNURs) on 18 chemicals derived from the advanced recycling of plastic waste. Unfortunately, these rules represented a roadblock to innovation, placing arbitrary limits on groundbreaking technologies that transform used plastics into valuable new products, diverting waste from landfills, and empowering our manufacturers to extract maximum value out of our limited natural resources.

Compounding the issue, the EPA advanced these rules without robust scientific justification and likely exceeded its regulatory authority by attempting to regulate feedstock impurities. Taking this a step further, the EPA failed to recognize that the thermal and chemical transformation processes used in the advanced recycling process can remove these impurities of concern.

These details further underscore that the EPA’s decision to withdraw the 18 proposed SNURs is the correct action for our economy and the environment. However, we now have some catching up to do. Regulatory uncertainty and cumbersome proverbial “government red tape” slow progress and delay investments.

For Pennsylvania to lead the way in sustainable manufacturing, we need regulatory fairness and predictability at all levels of government. We also need to encourage strong industry-government partnerships to drive innovation and advance clear, supportive policy frameworks that incentivize advanced technologies. Market-based incentives to fuel research and development and build the necessary infrastructure can further drive economic growth and sustainability.

The EPA’s repeal of these Biden-era SNURs is a step in the right direction for our economy and the environment. It aligns with Pennsylvania’s opportunity to drive a manufacturing revival, while simultaneously reducing plastic waste and opening doors to unprecedented economic growth for the Keystone State.

Taking the decisive step to repeal these counterproductive SNURs will build on that momentum, driving economic and environmental benefits for both our Commonwealth and the nation.