The Market Institute is proud to have signed onto a coalition letter supporting the Recycling Technology Innovation Act (H.R. 6566), bipartisan legislation that would provide regulatory certainty for advanced recycling technologies and bring federal policy in line with market realities.
Advanced recycling plays an increasingly important role in modern manufacturing and supply chains. Plastics are a critical input across nearly every major sector of the economy—from medical equipment and electronics to automobiles and consumer goods. When plastics can be broken down and reused, valuable materials remain in circulation, reducing strain on taxpayer-funded waste systems while strengthening domestic supply chains and supporting American jobs.
Despite significant private-sector investment and technological progress, outdated and inconsistent regulations have slowed the growth of advanced recycling. Federal agencies have applied conflicting interpretations of the Clean Air Act, leaving businesses uncertain about compliance obligations and exposing them to costly delays and litigation. In some states, advanced recycling facilities are incorrectly classified as “waste incineration,” a designation that often prevents projects from moving forward at all.
H.R. 6566 addresses this problem directly by clarifying that advanced recycling is a manufacturing process, not waste incineration. This distinction matters. Treating innovative manufacturing technologies as waste disposal increases costs, deters investment, and discourages the very innovation policymakers claim to support.
Importantly, this legislation would align federal policy with the approach already adopted by 25 states, which recognize advanced recycling as manufacturing. Harmonizing regulations nationwide would reduce confusion, provide long-term certainty for investors, and allow businesses to plan and build with confidence.
The Market Institute also views the Recycling Technology Innovation Act as a natural fit with broader efforts to reform federal permitting processes. Long, unpredictable review timelines raise costs and discourage private investment—particularly for infrastructure and energy-related projects. Regulatory clarity and streamlined permitting are essential to ensuring that innovative facilities can be built efficiently and begin delivering value to local communities.
Passing H.R. 6566 is a practical, market-oriented step toward improving recycling outcomes, strengthening supply chains, and encouraging private investment without new mandates or subsidies. We are proud to support this legislation and to work alongside a diverse coalition of organizations committed to innovation, economic growth, and regulatory sanity.
👉 Read the full coalition letter below.
Recycling-Technology-Innovation-Act
