A Democratic bill with 3 Democratic cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The ``Tracking Plastic Act of 2026'' establishes a Federal working group focused on recycled plastic content traceability. This group will include representatives from various government agencies and designated academic institutions. The National Institute of Standards and Technology will lead efforts to develop recommendations for traceability, while the EPA and Department of Commerce will lead other duties. The group is tasked with developing recommendations to increase the use of post-consumer resin and improving the measurement and reporting of recycled plastic content across several economic sectors. Additionally, the group will submit annual reports to Congress regarding its activities and recommendations. The working group is set to terminate no later than 10 years after its establishment.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +7
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill promotes increased use of recycled plastics and the traceability of plastic marine debris.
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill aims to improve safety by monitoring toxic chemicals in recycled plastic content.
- Scored +3
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill establishes a new Federal working group with leadership from several major agencies.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased use of recycled materials: The working group will develop recommendations to increase the use of post-consumer resin, considering domestic market capacity and economic benefits (Section 2(c)(1)).
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Improved safety monitoring: The group is tasked with considering ways to monitor and measure the presence of toxic chemicals in post-consumer resin content (Section 2(c)(1)(A)(iii)).
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Standardized industry data: The bill directs the development of standardized measurements for data collection that aim to be consistent with international standards (Section 2(c)(2)(A)).
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Improved environmental tracking: The group will consider ways to improve the traceability of plastic marine debris (Section 2(c)(2)(D)).
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Regulatory harmony: The group will work on a Federal tracking system designed to assist in harmonizing recycled plastic content requirements across different States (Section 2(c)(2)(B)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill promotes increased use of recycled plastics and the traceability of plastic marine debris.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill aims to improve safety by monitoring toxic chemicals in recycled plastic content.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill establishes a new Federal working group with leadership from several major agencies. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires annual reports to be submitted to Congress and made publicly available.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill aims to help harmonize requirements across different industry sectors.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this make trade with other countries easier? — The bill includes tasks to improve trade data clarity related to recycled plastic content.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill involves academic institutions and the National Academy of Sciences in a federal working group.
- 7/30/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon