One of our roles is to research plastic pollution and develop solutions to the problem, which is a challenge when a significant amount of the publicly available research is funded by the very industries and corporations responsible for the problem.

We’re often asked why we don’t have container deposit legislation (recycling refund, bottle bill) or extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging in Virginia. The short answer is because of outsized industry influence and a lack of political will. The full answer is more complex. This series of reports examines the connection between global multibillion dollar companies, corporate lobbying efforts, taxpayer funded grants, and the proliferation of plastic in Virginia.

Please reference the glossary below for more detailed explanations about some topics and subjects referenced in these reports. The glossary contains information about industry trade associations who influence Virginia’s policies, taxpayer funded grants accessed by petrochemical and consumer goods companies, and legislative policies mentioned throughout this series.