Let's get real about plastics.
The majority of the plastics that you and I toss into the blue bins at home are headed to our landfills whether we like it or not. In August, I learned this reality when I toured the businesses, organizations, and manufacturing plants of East Tennessee that have firsthand experience with composting, recycling, and waste management. Around 5% of plastic is turned into new materials, and the more plastic we produce, the less likely it will be recycled.
I want to change that.
That is why I introduced the Recycled Plastic in Asphalt Act. This legislation aims to drive innovation in the recycling and waste industry by using recycled plastic-modified asphalt mixtures.
The upside of plastic in asphalt: It boosts roadway life and performance while providing another use for plastics that may otherwise end up in a landfill.
The downside of plastic in asphalt: None
The road (pun intended) to taking care of our environment doesn't need to be complex and siphon billions of dollars from the federal government. Rather it takes some listening and commonsense action.
