Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act

II 119TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 4181 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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 24, 2026 Mr. DURBIN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 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 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited the ‘‘Plastic Pellet Free 4 Waters Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:21 Mar 30, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4181.IS S4181ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 2 •S 4181 IS SEC. 2. EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS FOR WASTEWATER, 1 SPILLS, AND RUNOFF FROM PLASTIC POLY-2 MER PRODUCTION FACILITIES, PLASTIC 3 MOLDING AND FORMING FACILITIES, AND 4 OTHER POINT SOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH 5 THE TRANSPORT AND PACKAGING OF PLAS-6 TIC PELLETS OR OTHER PRE-PRODUCTION 7 PLASTIC MATERIALS. 8 Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 9 of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Pro-10 tection Agency (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Admin-11 istrator’’) shall promulgate a final rule to ensure that— 12 (1) the discharge of plastic pellets or other pre- 13 production plastic materials (including discharge 14 into wastewater and other runoff) from facilities reg-15 ulated under part 414 or 463 of title 40, Code of 16 Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of en-17 actment of this Act), is prohibited; 18 (2) the discharge of plastic pellets or other pre- 19 production plastic materials (including discharge 20 into wastewater and other runoff) from a point 21 source (as defined in section 502 of the Federal 22 Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1362)) that 23 makes, uses, packages, or transports those plastic 24 pellets and other pre-production plastic materials is 25 prohibited; and 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:21 Mar 30, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4181.IS S4181ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 3 •S 4181 IS (3) the requirements under paragraphs (1) and 1 (2) are reflected in— 2 (A) all wastewater, stormwater, and other 3 permits issued by the Administrator and State- 4 delegated programs under section 402 of the 5 Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 6 1342) to facilities and other point sources (as 7 defined in section 502 of that Act (33 U.S.C. 8 1362)) that make, use, package, or transport 9 plastic pellets or other pre-production plastic 10 materials, as determined by the Administrator, 11 in addition to other applicable limits and stand-12 ards; and 13 (B) all standards of performance promul-14 gated under section 312(p) of the Federal 15 Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 16 1322(p)) that are applicable to point sources 17 (as defined in section 502 of that Act (33 18 U.S.C. 1362)) that make, use, package, or 19 transport plastic pellets or other pre-production 20 plastic materials, as determined by the Admin-21 istrator. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:21 Mar 30, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S4181.IS S4181ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS