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Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act
To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate certain limitations with respect to pre-production plastic pellet pollution, and for other purposes.
Summary
The bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish rules within 60 days of enactment that prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastic materials into wastewater, stormwater, and runoff from plastic production, molding, forming, and related facilities. The prohibition applies to all point sources, including facilities that make, use, package, or transport plastic pellets or pre-production plastic materials. The EPA must incorporate these discharge prohibitions into all wastewater, stormwater, and other permits issued under the Clean Water Act to affected facilities. The rules must also be reflected in all performance standards promulgated under the Clean Water Act that apply to point sources handling plastic pellets or pre-production plastic materials.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
9 cosponsors
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT)
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ)
- Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (D-IL)
- Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA)
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)
- Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] (D-CT)
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA)
- Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] (D-NH)
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Richard J. Durbin’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- SIMMONS HANLY CONROY LLC $19,133
- THE GORI LAW FIRM $18,300
- CLIFFORD LAW OFFICES PC $17,750
- POWER ROGERS & SMITH LLP $17,300
- MAUNE RAICHLE HARTLEY FRENCH & MUDD $14,638
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Richard J. Durbin → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Mar 24, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text: CR S1583) · senate
- Mar 24, 2026 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 24, 2026
Mr. Durbin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
A BILL
To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate certain limitations with respect to pre-production plastic pellet pollution, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited the “Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act”.
SEC. 2. EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS FOR WASTEWATER, SPILLS, AND RUNOFF FROM PLASTIC POLYMER PRODUCTION FACILITIES, PLASTIC MOLDING AND FORMING FACILITIES, AND OTHER POINT SOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSPORT AND PACKAGING OF PLASTIC PELLETS OR OTHER PRE-PRODUCTION PLASTIC MATERIALS.
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (referred to in this section as the “Administrator”) shall promulgate a final rule to ensure that—
(1) the discharge of plastic pellets or other pre- production plastic materials (including discharge into wastewater and other runoff) from facilities regulated under part 414 or 463 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act), is prohibited;
(2) the discharge of plastic pellets or other pre- production plastic materials (including discharge into wastewater and other runoff) from a point source (as defined in section 502 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1362)) that makes, uses, packages, or transports those plastic pellets and other pre-production plastic materials is prohibited; and
(3) the requirements under paragraphs (1) and (2) are reflected in—
(A) all wastewater, stormwater, and other permits issued by the Administrator and State-delegated programs under section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1342) to facilities and other point sources (as defined in section 502 of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1362)) that make, use, package, or transport plastic pellets or other pre-production plastic materials, as determined by the Administrator, in addition to other applicable limits and standards; and
(B) all standards of performance promulgated under section 312(p) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1322(p)) that are applicable to point sources (as defined in section 502 of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1362)) that make, use, package, or transport plastic pellets or other pre-production plastic materials, as determined by the Administrator. <all>
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