Tennessee U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) introduced the Recycled Plastic Asphalt Act last week that would create a research program for using recycled plastic in asphalt.
Burchett said, “If we want to take care of our environment, we need to rely on more innovative green solutions than just wind and solar. Studying the real-world use of RPM asphalt will take us a step closer to building a cleaner infrastructure and a cleaner future.”
The H.R 9204, also known as the Recycled Plastic Asphalt Act, would develop a research program by the U.S. Department of Transportation to research RPM and to provide an annual report on their findings.
The bill states, “Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report regarding the status of the research conducted under this section to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.”
RPM asphalt stands for recycled plastic modified asphalt, which uses recycled plastic that would otherwise be put in a landfill. It has been found throughout early studies that RPM may increase the performance and life of the road as well.
Burchett introduced the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act (RCAA) in June of this year. The act requires that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPS) collects data on recycling and composting throughout the United States.
“There is very little reliable, widely available data on recycling and composting programs in the United States. This bill would provide information that can be used by private businesses to spur innovation and by state and local governments to improve their communities’ recycling efforts. It also increases government support for these processes, moving our nation towards sustainability,” Burchett said in June.
In July, Burchett introduced “Tim’s Tours” to begin collecting data about recovery facilities across Tennessee. “Tim’s Tours” were a series of events that allowed the representative to learn more about recycling, composting, and waste by touring the East Tennessee facilities.
Representative Burchett said in July, “I’m going to have a lot more time back home in the district this month, and I want to do something useful with it. These tours will give me the chance to learn more about industries that greatly impact East Tennesseans, and I’m excited to get a crash course on how these facilities operate.”
The Recycled Plastic Asphalt Act is supported by the National Asphalt Pavement Association, the PLASTICS Industry Association, and the American Chemistry Council.
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Kaitlyn Osteen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Send Kaitlyn tips at [email protected].
