🏛️PLASTICS Applauds Passage of U.S. House Tax Bill, Delivering Hard-Fought Victories for Industry

The U.S. House passed a major tax bill—and PLASTICS is applauding the move as a big win for American manufacturing and the plastics industry.

💼 Why it matters:
The bill includes long-sought tax provisions that help manufacturers reinvest, grow, and plan for the future.

Key wins for the plastics industry and the broader manufacturing economy, including:

Restores full and immediate expensing for R&D
100% bonus depreciation on capital equipment
21% corporate tax rate preserved
Expanded tax relief for small & mid-sized firms
Higher Section 179 expensing limits
Interest deduction rules protected

What’s next:

PLASTICS urges the Senate to pass the bill and lock in these manufacturing-friendly wins.

👉 To read the full press release click here.

📦 Strong Q1 for U.S. Polyethylene Exports—But Uncertainty Ahead

U.S. polyethylene (PE) exports rose 11.6% in Q1 2025, pushing the trade surplus to over 3 billion kilograms. Top markets included Brazil, Canada, China, Mexico, and Belgium. Imports fell 4.4%.

Why it matters:
The U.S. plastics industry remains globally competitive—thanks to abundant feedstock, large-scale production, and trade agreements like USMCA, which continues to stabilize regional flows.

⚠️ What’s next:
Tariff risks remain. A delayed 25% EU tariff on U.S. PE is now set to take effect August 14, and broader global trade negotiations could shift momentum.

👉 To read Dr. Perc Pineda’s full take on the PE export surge and what’s ahead click here

🧾 Washington State EPR Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature

Washington State’s legislature has passed SB5284, a wide-reaching extended producer responsibility (EPR) bill that could reshape how packaging is managed—and it’s now on the governor’s desk.

📍 Why it matters:
This could become a national model. EPR bills like SB5284 often start in one state and spread, setting new standards for packaging producers everywhere.

♻️ What’s in the bill:

Mandatory participation in Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs)
State-run needs assessments and packaging material lists
Aggressive reuse and recycling performance targets
New registration fees, reporting deadlines, and penalties for noncompliance

🔍 Notable features:
Allows for multiple PROs, exempts some plastic films, and establishes a $5M reuse fund—though questions remain about eco-modulation.

👉 To read the full summary by Michael Robinson click here.

🏛️ State Policy Snapshot

From packaging and recycling to producer responsibility, state legislatures across the country are advancing key bills that could shape the future of plastics policy. Here's a quick look at recent activity in California, Colorado, New Jersey, New York, and Washington.

📍 California
CalRecycle has released the informal SB54 draft rules and will hold a public informal rulemaking workshop on Tuesday, May 27th, beginning at 10am PST. Registration information for in person and virtual attendance...

📍 Colorado

Upcoming important EPR regulatory dates:

July 1 – Producer registration deadline (also the registration deadline for Minnesota)
July 31 – Reporting deadline for 2024 data.

👉 To read the full May 23 update click here.

📅 Mark Your Calendar

🍬 June 2-4 | Join Us for the 2025 FDCPMC Spring Food Packaging Summit in Alexandria, VA to connect with industry leaders and stay ahead on key food packaging regulations.

📅 FLiP Book Club – June 6, 2–3 PM ET | Join us for a virtual discussion on The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Open to FLiP-eligible members, this session explores trust, accountability, and what it really takes to build strong, collaborative teams.👉 Register here

📋 NPE2027: The Plastics Show | Exhibit space applications open August 12. To be notified when applications go live click here. The NPE2027 Space Selection & Planning Event will be held in Orlando, FL, March 2–6, 2026.

📣 Registration now open for the National Plastics Conference — the

exclusive event built by industry, for industry — returning to Orlando, FL, this

September 22–25, 2025.

🌐 OCS CON 2025 | October 15–17 | Indianapolis, IN. Registration open for OCS Blue and OCS Logistics members only. Hosted by Operation Clean Sweep®, this event brings together the plastics value chain to advance efforts to eliminate plastic resin loss to the environment. Early bird registration opens to everyone June 13.