Last week, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives launched a working group to find solutions to "boost investment and education around recycling technologies and recovery." The Congressional Plastics Solutions Task Force is made up of members of Congress in addition to businesses in the private sector. The American Beverage Association proudly joined the task force to lead by example and help foster innovative ideas to reduce the amount of new plastic being produced and increase the amount of plastic being recycled. When announcing the endeavor, Rep. Haley Stevens, one of the founding members of the task force, noted that there are technological innovations being developed that will improve the efficiency and ability to recycle plastics and reuse these plastics to create new products. The American Beverage Association is delighted to play a role in this, especially as we work to get every bottle back, reduce our use of new plastic and improve recycling infrastructure and technology across the country.

ABA's CEO, Katherine Lugar, praised the task force:

"Rep. Haley Stevens' leadership on an issue of critical importance to the environment is greatly appreciated," says American Beverage Association President and CEO Katherine Lugar. "The Congressional Plastics Solutions Task Force will bolster our industry's efforts to decrease the use of new plastic by increasing the collection of plastic so it can be remade into new products and not wasted in landfills or as litter. This task force demonstrates how we can work together in support of new ideas and investments that will benefit consumers, conserve resources and protect the environment."