Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters
Chapter 55 — Save Our Seas 2.0
§ 4261. Statement of policy on international cooperation to combat marine debris
Statutory text
It is the policy of the United States to partner, consult, and coordinate with foreign governments (at the national and subnational levels), civil society, international organizations, international financial institutions, subnational coastal communities, commercial and recreational fishing industry leaders, and the private sector, in a concerted effort—
to increase knowledge and raise awareness about—
the linkages between the sources of plastic waste, mismanaged waste and post-consumer materials, and marine debris; and
the upstream and downstream causes and effects of plastic waste, mismanaged waste and post-consumer materials, and marine debris on marine environments, marine wildlife, human health, and economic development;
to support—
strengthening systems for reducing the generation of plastic waste and recovering, managing, reusing, and recycling plastic waste, marine debris, and microfiber pollution in the world’s oceans, emphasizing upstream post-consumer materials management solutions—
to decrease plastic waste at its source; and
to prevent leakage of plastic waste into the environment;
advancing the utilization and availability of safe and affordable reusable alternatives to disposable plastic products in commerce, to the extent practicable, and with consideration for the potential impacts of such alternatives, and other efforts to prevent marine debris;
deployment of and access to advanced technologies to capture value from post-consumer materials and municipal solid waste streams through mechanical and other recycling systems;
access to information on best practices in post-consumer materials management, options for post-consumer materials management systems financing, and options for participating in public-private partnerships; and
implementation of management measures to reduce derelict fishing gear, the loss of fishing gear, and other sources of pollution generated from marine activities and to increase proper disposal and recycling of fishing gear; and
to work cooperatively with international partners—
on establishing—
measurable targets for reducing marine debris, lost fishing gear, and plastic waste from all sources; and
action plans to achieve those targets with a mechanism to provide regular reporting;
to promote consumer education, awareness, and outreach to prevent marine debris;
to reduce marine debris by improving advance planning for marine debris events and responses to such events; and
to share best practices in post-consumer materials management systems to prevent the entry of plastic waste into the environment.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Save Our Seas 2.0 Act
Pub. L. 116–224 title II § 201 · 134 Stat. 1072
Enacted · 33 U.S.C. § 4261
(Pub. L. 116–224, title II, § 201, Dec. 18, 2020, 134 Stat. 1086.)
Source evidence
Code source credit
(Pub. L. 116–224, title II, § 201, Dec. 18, 2020, 134 Stat. 1086.)Enacted provision · exact public law section
SEC. 201. STATEMENT OF POLICY ON INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO COMBAT MARINE DEBRIS. It is the policy of the United States to partner, consult, and coordinate with foreign governments (at the national and subnational levels), civil society, international organizations, international financial institutions, subnational coastal communities, commercial and recreational fishing industry leaders, and the private sector, in a concerted effort— (1) to increase knowledge and raise awareness about— (A) the linkages between the sources of plastic waste, mismanaged waste and post-consumer materials, and marine debris; and (B) the upstream and downstream causes and effects of plastic waste, mismanaged waste and post-consumer materials, and marine debris on marine environments, marine wildlife, human health, and economic development; (2) to support— (A) strengthening systems for reducing the generation of plastic waste and recovering, managing, reusing, and recycling plastic waste, marine debris, and microfiber pollution in the world’s oceans, emphasizing upstream post-consumer materials management solutions— (i) to decrease plastic waste at its source; and (ii) to prevent leakage of plastic waste into the environment; (B) advancing the utilization and availability of safe and affordable reusable alternatives to disposable plastic products in commerce, to the extent practicable, and with consideration for the potential impacts of such alternatives, and other efforts to prevent marine debris; (C) deployment of and access to advanced technologies to capture value from post-consumer materials and municipal solid waste streams through mechanical and other recycling systems; (D) access to information on best practices in post-consumer materials management, options for post-consumer materials management systems financing, and options for participating in public-private partnerships; and (E) implementation of management measures to reduce derelict fishing gear, the loss of fishing gear, and other sources of pollution generated from marine activities and to increase proper disposal and recycling of fishing gear; and (3) to work cooperatively with international partners— (A) on establishing— (i) measurable targets for reducing marine debris, lost fishing gear, and plastic waste from all sources; and (ii) action plans to achieve those targets with a mechanism to provide regular reporting; (B) to promote consumer education, awareness, and outreach to prevent marine debris; (C) to reduce marine debris by improving advance planning for marine debris events and responses to such events; and (D) to share best practices in post-consumer materials management systems to prevent the entry of plastic waste into the environment.
1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision