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“Problematic and Unnecessary Materials List” Released by the U.S. Plastics Pact
![News_General_Regulations Stacks of binders of regulations](/sites/default/files/2021-07/News_General_Regulations.jpg)
The U.S. Plastics Pact’s recently released Problematic and Unnecessary Materials List identifies the following 11 plastic items that are not currently reusable, recyclable, or compostable in the U.S.:
- Cutlery
- Intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
- Non-detectable pigments such as carbon black
- Opaque or pigmented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles (any color other than transparent blue or green)
- Oxo-degradable additives, including oxo-biodegradable additives
- Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) in rigid packaging
- Problematic labels constructions
- Polystyrene, including expanded polystyrene
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), including polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC)
- Stirrers when provided as an ancillary item to the primary container
- Straws when provided as an ancillary item to the primary container
Medical plastics used in clinical, hospital, and related laboratory and research setting are exempted.
The U.S. Plastics Pact, a consortium that is part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact Network, announced a Roadmap to 2025 in 2021 with four objectives. One of those objectives was to “Define a list of packaging that is problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025.”