Press ReleaseUrgent2026-04-29

Rep. Crenshaw Introduces Common Sense Bill to Provide Regulatory Certainty for Advanced Recycling Technologies

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This press release from Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) was published on 2026-04-29 and titled "Rep. Crenshaw Introduces Common Sense Bill to Provide Regulatory Certainty for Advanced Recycling Technologies". It focuses on the environment.

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Rep. Crenshaw Introduces Common Sense Bill to Provide Regulatory Certainty for Advanced Recycling Technologies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), along with Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), introduced the Recycling Technology Innovation Act, critical legislation that finally provides the regulatory clarity needed to unlock innovation in America's plastics recycling sector and strengthen domestic manufacturing. Advanced recycling technologies take plastic waste and break it down into its original molecular building blocks - materials that can be used again and again to create new products. These technologies are already operating successfully in states across the country, but inconsistent federal regulations have created uncertainty that deters investment and slows progress. "Our problem isn't plastics - it's plastic waste," said Crenshaw. "If we want cleaner communities, stronger supply chains, and real environmental gains, then we should be empowering the innovators who are turning waste into value. This legislation does exactly that. It provides common sense regulatory certainty manufacturers need and supports an industry critical to the Houston area's economy and workforce. Instead of chasing headlines or demonizing entire industries, we're solving a real problem with a real policy solution that benefits workers, families, and the environment." Currently, vague and inconsistent interpretations of the Clean Air Act have left companies guessing about how advanced recycling will be regulated - a barrier to long-term planning and large-scale investment. The Recycling Technology Innovation Act solves this problem by ensuring these technologies are regulated appropriately as manufacturing units, not as waste incinerators, aligning federal policy with the 25 states that already regulate advanced recycling accordingly. "Advanced recycling is good for the environment and good for the economy," Crenshaw continued. "It keeps plastic waste out of landfills and out of our communities. It strengthens American manufacturing. And it helps ensure that places like Houston - home to one of the nation's largest plastics and chemical manufacturing hubs - remain at the forefront of U.S. energy and industrial innovation." By providing a stable regulatory foundation, the bill will help the plastics and recycling industries plan production, build new U.S. facilities, and keep goods flowing through the supply chain without unnecessary delays. The result: more jobs, more investment, less waste, and a more competitive American manufacturing base. Background: Advanced recycling converts used plastics into feedstocks that can be used repeatedly in manufacturing, keeping valuable materials in the economy and out of landfills. The Recycling Technology Innovation Act aligns federal policy with the majority of states that treat these technologies as manufacturing, offering long-needed clarity to innovators and investors.

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Rep. Crenshaw Introduces Common Sense Bill to Provide Regulatory Certainty for Advanced Recycling Technologies FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), along with Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), introduced the Recycling Technology Innovation Act, critical legislation that finally provides the regulatory clarity needed to unlock innovation in America's plastics recycling sector and strengthen domestic manufacturing. Advanced recycling technologies take plastic waste and break it down into its original molecular building blocks - materials that can be used again and again to create new products. These technologies are already operating successfully in states across the country, but inconsistent federal regulations have created uncertainty that deters investment and slows progress. "Our problem isn't plastics - it's plastic waste," said Crenshaw. "If we want cleaner communities, stronger supply chains, and real environmental gains, then we should be empowering the innovators who are turning waste into value. This legislation does exactly that. It provides common sense regulatory certainty manufacturers need and supports an industry critical to the Houston area's economy and workforce. Instead of chasing headlines or demonizing entire industries, we're solving a real problem with a real policy solution that benefits workers, families, and the environment." Currently, vague and inconsistent interpretations of the Clean Air Act have left companies guessing about how advanced recycling will be regulated - a barrier to long-term planning and large-scale investment. The Recycling Technology Innovation Act solves this problem by ensuring these technologies are regulated appropriately as manufacturing units, not as waste incinerators, aligning federal policy with the 25 states that already regulate advanced recycling accordingly. "Advanced recycling is good for the environment and good for the economy," Crenshaw continued. "It keeps plastic waste out of landfills and out of our communities. It strengthens American manufacturing. And it helps ensure that places like Houston - home to one of the nation's largest plastics and chemical manufacturing hubs - remain at the forefront of U.S. energy and industrial innovation." By providing a stable regulatory foundation, the bill will help the plastics and recycling industries plan production, build new U.S. facilities, and keep goods flowing through the supply chain without unnecessary delays. The result: more jobs, more investment, less waste, and a more competitive American manufacturing base. Background: Advanced recycling converts used plastics into feedstocks that can be used repeatedly in manufacturing, keeping valuable materials in the economy and out of landfills. The Recycling Technology Innovation Act aligns federal policy with the majority of states that treat these technologies as manufacturing, offering long-needed clarity to innovators and investors.