Merkley, Whitehouse, Doggett Celebrate Plastic Pollution Action Month

Washington, D.C. - Today, Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Rhode Island's U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) introduced their resolution marking July 2026 as "Plastic Pollution Action Month." The bicameral resolution spotlights the dangers of the plastic pollution crisis and calls on Americans to protect our health and environment by taking steps to reduce plastic pollution, this month and every month.

"Most of us have been taught the three Rs-reduce, reuse, and recycle; but too often the reality with plastics is the three Bs-buried, burned, and borne out to sea," said Merkley. "During Plastic Pollution Action Month, we renew our commitment to tackling the plastic pollution crisis-which disproportionately harms communities of color and low-income communities-and demand bold action to ensure a future free of plastic pollution for all."

"Plastic pollution fills our oceans, and microplastics seep into the human food chain," said Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and the co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus. "Plastic Pollution Action Month is a chance for us to renew our commitment to protecting marine ecosystems and human health, and to cleaning up the plastic trash that clogs the nets of Rhode Island fishermen."

"From the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink to our greenspaces and waterways, plastic waste and pollution affect us in so many ways," said Doggett. "With so much misleading propaganda from plastic makers, this resolution serves as a reminder of the many dangers posed by plastics. Until we overcome industry opposition to take meaningful action, these health and environmental dangers will only intensify."

The Plastic Pollution Action Month resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen, and Peter Welch (D-VT).

Merkley has been a longtime leader in Congress fighting to take on our plastic pollution crisis. As former Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) subcommittee overseeing environmental justice, chemical safety, and waste management, he held a first-of-its-kind series of hearings investigating plastic production and pollution. His hearings examined: environmental and climate damage from plastics, impacts of plastics on environmental justice communities, reuse and refill systems, beverage container waste, and consumer challenges to recycling.

Merkley also leads the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act-the most comprehensive plan ever introduced in Congress to address the harms of plastic pollution on our air, water, and soil-and two bipartisan plastics-related pieces of legislation: the Microplastics Safety Act and REUSE Act.

Full text of the bicameral resolution can be found by clicking here.

###