July 8, 2025

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., 1101A 

Washington, DC 20460  

Administrator Zeldin,

Since President Trump took office in January, his administration has committed to strengthening our economy while protecting the environment and reducing our reliance on imports. For too long, the United States has depended on other nations for essential goods and services. Now is the critical moment to unleash American manufacturing, bolster our supply chain and national security, and significantly enhance our global competitiveness.

We've already seen progress in the new administration. The manufacturing sector has experienced growth, generating over 9,000 new jobs (Dec. - April) and raising wages. This stands in stark contrast to the two-year period before January, when approximately 6,000 manufacturing jobs were lost each month over the period of January 2023 - December 2024.

While we are on the right track, the administration can unleash a manufacturing renaissance — creating new jobs and fostering economic growth — through targeted regulatory reforms to enable greater plastics manufacturing and remanufacturing. As a global energy and manufacturing leader, Pennsylvania is poised to lead this charge by advancing collaborative, science-based policies and regulations. 

Plastics support over a quarter of domestic manufacturing operations, yet growth in this critical sector is consistently hampered by both old and new regulations. Conflicting and often outdated state and federal regulations stifle innovation, impair economic growth, and directly hurt American competitiveness.

The Trump Administration, led by the Environmental Protection Agency, has the power to direct regulatory reform for plastics manufacturing that can unleash the next decade of growth in the manufacturing sector. The impact of this reform will be felt locally and nationally, with significant benefits for Pennsylvanians specifically. 

June 9, 2025

In May, Shell Polymers and Freepoint Eco-Systems announced a landmark agreement where Shell’s petrochemical plant in Monaca, Pennsylvania, will offtake more than one hundred million pounds of recycled plastic feedstock annually from Freepoint’s advanced recycling facility in Hebron, Ohio.

This agreement is remarkable because, as a leading producer of plastic, 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 much more. 

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

And plastics manufacturing is not just about materials; it’s also about jobs, innovation, and environmental responsibility. Pennsylvania’s plastics industry provides 40,000 jobs and generates more than $17 billion in annual sales.

Thankfully, innovative recycling technologies increase our much-needed domestic plastics supply while addressing the challenge of plastic waste. As demonstrated by the Shell-Freepoint agreement, end-of-life plastics once destined for the landfill or the environment can now be recycled and remanufactured into high-quality feedstock for new consumer products.

For Pennsylvania to lead the way, we need to develop strong industry-government partnerships, driving innovation and best practices, and creating a policy framework that incentivises innovation. 

The partnership between Shell and Freepoint embodies a commitment to a thriving economy and a sustainable future without sacrificing the quality of consumer products society demands.  

Steven Kratz, President 

Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council 

April 22, 2025 

By Steven Kratz 

President, Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council 

Environmental stewardship and sustainability aren’t routinely spoken in the same breath as the plastics and chemicals industries in general circles. But they most certainly should be. 

Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council (PCIC) members are leading the charge with innovations and significant investments in sustainable manufacturing, production, advanced recycling, energy efficiency and carbon emissions reduction technologies. They are talking the talk and walking the walk when it comes to making the world a better place. 

The chemical industry in Pennsylvania is a significant economic driver, supporting high-wage jobs, generating tax revenue for communities, and advancing sustainable solutions. Perhaps the most important contribution of our industry is that nearly every aspect of modern life quality relies on chemistry.  Chemicals and polymers are responsible for most healthcare products and medical equipment, as the building blocks for renewable energy, high-performing building materials, food packaging, electronics, clothing, vehicles, and more.

Modern society needs continued chemical and plastics production and demand is expected to continue to increase.  But our members also understand 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 their products and operations more sustainable.