Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act

I 119TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7543 To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate certain limitations with respect to pre-production plastic pel- let pollution, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 12, 2026 Mr. L EVIN (for himself, Ms. S CHOLTEN, Ms. D AVIDS of Kansas, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. K ENNEDY of New York, Mr. M ULLIN, Ms. C ASTOR of Florida, Mr. M AGAZINER, Mr. M OULTON, Mr. M OSKOWITZ, Mr. T ONKO, Mr. C ARBAJAL, Ms. S A´NCHEZ, Ms. T LAIB, Ms. B ARRAGA´N, Mr. C OHEN, Ms. MCCLELLAN, Mr. S MITH of Washington, Ms. P INGREE, Mr. L YNCH, Mr. M CGOVERN, Ms. J AYAPAL, Mrs. R AMIREZ, Mr. K EATING, Mr. C AR- SON, Mr. K RISHNAMOORTHI, Ms. S CHAKOWSKY, Ms. W ASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. C ARTER of Louisiana, Mr. Q UIGLEY, Ms. C HU, Ms. M AT- SUI, Ms. J ACOBS, Ms. D EAN of Pennsylvania, Mr. E VANS of Pennsyl- vania, and Mr. D ESAULNIER) introduced the following bill; which was re- ferred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protec- tion Agency to promulgate certain limitations with re- spect to pre-production plastic pellet pollution, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:00 Feb 13, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7543.IH H7543kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 7543 IH SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Plastic Pellet Free 2 Waters Act’’. 3 SEC. 2. EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS FOR WASTEWATER, 4 SPILLS, AND RUNOFF FROM PLASTIC POLY-5 MER PRODUCTION FACILITIES, PLASTIC 6 MOLDING AND FORMING FACILITIES, AND 7 OTHER POINT SOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH 8 THE TRANSPORT AND PACKAGING OF PLAS-9 TIC PELLETS OR OTHER PRE-PRODUCTION 10 PLASTIC MATERIALS. 11 Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 12 of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Pro-13 tection Agency (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Admin-14 istrator’’) shall promulgate a final rule to ensure that— 15 (1) the discharge of plastic pellets or other pre- 16 production plastic materials (including discharge 17 into wastewater and other runoff) from facilities reg-18 ulated under part 414 or 463 of title 40, Code of 19 Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of en-20 actment of this Act), is prohibited; 21 (2) the discharge of plastic pellets or other pre- 22 production plastic materials (including discharge 23 into wastewater and other runoff) from a point 24 source (as defined in section 502 of the Federal 25 Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1362)) that 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:00 Feb 13, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7543.IH H7543kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 7543 IH makes, uses, packages, or transports those plastic 1 pellets and other pre-production plastic materials is 2 prohibited; and 3 (3) the requirements under paragraphs (1) and 4 (2) are reflected in— 5 (A) all wastewater, stormwater, and other 6 permits issued by the Administrator and State- 7 delegated programs under section 402 of the 8 Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 9 1342) to facilities and other point sources (as 10 defined in section 502 of that Act (33 U.S.C. 11 1362)) that make, use, package, or transport 12 plastic pellets or other pre-production plastic 13 materials, as determined by the Administrator, 14 in addition to other applicable limits and stand-15 ards; and 16 (B) all standards of performance promul-17 gated under section 312(p) of the Federal 18 Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 19 1322(p)) that are applicable to point sources 20 (as defined in section 502 of that Act (33 21 U.S.C. 1362)) that make, use, package, or 22 transport plastic pellets or other pre-production 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:00 Feb 13, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7543.IH H7543kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 7543 IH plastic materials, as determined by the Admin-1 istrator. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:00 Feb 13, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7543.IH H7543kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB