Senate passes REUSE Act to advance research on reuse and refill systems

The Senate has passed the bipartisan Research for Environmental Uses and Sustainable Economies (REUSE) Act of 2025, which directs the Environmental Protection Agency to develop a report on the best practices and feasibility of reuse and refill systems in the U.S.

The report would assess the economic and environmental impacts of these systems, including job creation potential, government requirements and barriers to implementation.

In February, Oceana, a Washington-based international ocean conservation organization, released results of a nationwide poll demonstrating that 85 percent of U.S. voters support increasing the use of reusable packaging and foodware. Overall, 81 percent of U.S. voters said they support reducing the amount of plastic that is produced.

The national online poll, conducted for Oceana by the nonpartisan polling company Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel, surveyed 1,111 registered U.S. voters from Dec. 13-15, 2024. Key findings include:

• 80 percent of U.S. voters support state and local policies that reduce single-use plastic foam;
• 78 percent of U.S. voters support national policies that reduce single-use plastic foam; and
• 80 percent of U.S. voters support requiring companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging and foodware.  

A 2020 report from Oceana highlighted evidence of nearly 1,800 animals from 40 different species swallowing or becoming entangled in plastic in U.S. waters between 2009 and early 2020. Of those animals, 88 percent were from species listed as endangered or threatened with extinction under the Endangered Species Act.  

“There is clear bipartisan interest in solutions to address the plastic pollution crisis. Movement toward reuse and refill systems is good news for our communities, health and oceans,” says Christy Leavitt, senior campaign director at Oceana. “Oceana applauds the Senate for saying ‘yes’ to expanding research on reuse and refill systems, and especially Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Shelley Capito, R-W.Va., for their bipartisan leadership to spearhead this bill.

“Reusable and refillable systems are a proven, sustainable solution to reduce single-use plastic, and polling shows the vast majority of American voters support reusable packaging and foodware. Now, the House must keep up this bipartisan momentum to introduce and pass the REUSE Act to help move our country toward a future with less plastic pollution.”