NWRA urges Congress to address need for recycling infrastructure and supply chain resiliency

In a letter for the record to the House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access Chairwoman Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Ranking Member Dan Mueser (R-PA), the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) stated that supply chain resiliency is an important issue for the industry.

“The COVID-19 pandemic saw an increase in demand for domestic manufactured goods and supplies as well as a corresponding demand for raw materials by U.S. manufacturers. Had there been greater domestic recycling infrastructure capacity in place, recyclables could have better helped to meet the demand,” wrote NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith. “NWRA urges Congress to look toward recyclables as part of the solution to the feedstock shortage that has been impacting small manufacturers and disrupting our nation’s supply chain resiliency.”

The subcommittee held a hearing on April 29 on “Supply Chain Resiliency and the Role of Small Manufacturers.” NWRA submitted its letter at the request of committee staff and will be made part of the official record of the hearing.

Congress and federal regulatory agencies have an opportunity to implement policies that encourage our nation’s domestic recycling infrastructure as well as the use of recyclable materials where it makes economic sense to do so while avoiding the issuance of mandates. Tax credits, block grants and regulatory relief encouraging the development of a more robust domestic recycling infrastructure and the market for consumer recyclables as well as research and education can help meet the feedstock demands of America’s small manufacturers.