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119-s-5525119th CongressWALLET

Banning Toxics from Plastic Bottles Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Welch, Peter [D-VT]

Introduced

Summary

Would phase out toxic substances in many single-use beverage containers. It would ban specific materials, colors, and listed hazardous chemicals, impose fines for sellers of banned containers, and create a grants fund to help local waste and water systems.

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  • Retailers and shoppers: Two years after enactment, stores would be barred from selling single-use beverage containers made wholly or partly of polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), containers that are opaque or pigmented other than transparent blue or transparent green, containers that contain polyethylene glycol, or any container that contains a listed toxic substance.
  • Local governments and communities: The bill would create the Local Clean Up of Plastics Fund to award competitive grants for solid waste, water system, recycling, and composting projects. Grants would fund remediation, water filtration, infrastructure replacement or expansion, and education, with priority for rural and underserved areas.
  • Manufacturers and retailers: Violations would face fines up to $50,000 per violation, with each product line treated as a separate violation. All collected fines would be deposited into the Local Clean Up of Plastics Fund.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Fines for selling banned bottles

If enacted, starting two years after enactment, retailers who sell, offer for sale, or distribute a prohibited single-use beverage container would be subject to fines. Each product line would count as a separate violation if any container in that line violates the ban. The statute would allow fines of up to $50,000 per violation, and collected fines would go to the Local Clean Up of Plastics Fund.

Local grants for plastic cleanup

If enacted, the bill would create the Local Clean Up of Plastics Fund in the Treasury. The EPA Administrator would use the Fund to award competitive grants to local governments for solid waste, water system, recycling, and composting projects. Eligible activities would include toxic remediation, water filtration, infrastructure replacement or expansion, and education. Grants would prioritize projects serving rural areas and underserved communities, and fines collected under the Act would be deposited into the Fund.

Ban on toxic single-use bottles

If enacted, starting two years after enactment, retailers in the U.S. would not be able to sell some single-use beverage containers. The ban would cover bottles made wholly or partly of polyethylene terephthalate glycol, bottles that contain polyethylene glycol, and bottles that are opaque or colored other than transparent blue or transparent green. It would also bar any single-use bottle that contains a "toxic substance" as the bill defines that term. The bill's toxic definition would include many listed chemicals and agency hazard listings, such as PFAS and many bisphenols.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Welch, Peter [D-VT]

VT • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

  • Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

  • Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]

    VT • I

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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