I
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10957
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 5, 2026
Ms. Mace introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to study and report on anti-microplastic strategies, and to establish a pilot program to demonstrate and evaluate anti-microplastic strategies.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Plastics Understanding and Removal through Government Evaluation Act
or the PURGE Act
.
Study and report on anti-microplastic strategies
Study
In general
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall conduct a study on anti-microplastic strategies.
Elements
The study conducted under paragraph (1) shall—
identify the different types of anti-microplastic strategies that are available; and
analyze—
the effectiveness of each type of anti-microplastic strategy identified under subparagraph (A) to mitigate and remove microplastics and nanoplastics from the environment, based on verified biodegradation using recognized testing standards;
the performance of each such type of strategy under different conditions, including industrial composting, landfill, soil, and marine conditions;
the ecotoxicity of byproducts resulting from the degradation of plastic using each such type of strategy, based on recognized testing standards;
the effect of each such type of strategy on the recyclability of treated materials within existing municipal recycling infrastructure;
the cost-effectiveness of each such type of strategy; and
the operational capabilities and requirements of each such type of strategy, including infrastructure requirements, staffing and training needs, and regulatory or permitting barriers to deployment at wastewater treatment facilities.
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a)(1).
Pilot program to demonstrate and evaluate anti-microplastic strategies
Establishment
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall establish and carry out a pilot program under which the Administrator demonstrates and evaluates anti-microplastic strategies.
Requirements
In general
In carrying out the pilot program, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall—
demonstrate and evaluate anti-microplastic strategies in at least 3 different geographic regions that, to the extent practicable—
include a range of environmental settings, including riverine, coastal, and municipal wastewater systems; and
are in reasonable proximity, as determined by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to a facility managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the United States Geological Survey;
evaluate the effectiveness, cost, and scalability of anti-microplastic strategies;
prioritize demonstrating and evaluating anti-microplastic strategies that are capable of being deployed at existing water treatment or stormwater infrastructure without requiring substantial new construction; and
identify situations in which additional research is warranted before broader deployment of a type of anti-microplastic strategy, including situations in which—
the type of strategy has not been demonstrated at a sufficient scale;
the environmental or economic effects of the type of strategy are not adequately understood;
data on the type or concentration of microplastics and nanoplastics present in the region in which the type of strategy was deployed are not reasonably available; and
the region in which the type of strategy was deployed has characteristics that may limit the applicability of the type of strategy to other locations.
Establishment of criteria
Before demonstrating or evaluating any anti-microplastic strategy under the pilot program, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall establish quantitative success metrics for the demonstration and evaluation of anti-microplastic strategies under the pilot program, including a minimum percent of verified biodegradation within a defined monitoring period, the absence of secondary microplastic and nanoplastics formation as confirmed through molecular-level testing, ecotoxicity results within thresholds established under recognized testing standards, and preservation of recyclability where applicable.
Coordination
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall coordinate the demonstration and evaluation of anti-microplastic strategies under the pilot program with—
the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United States Geological Survey; and
State environmental protection or natural resources authorities.
Duration
The pilot program shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date on which the pilot program was established.
Report
Not later than 1 year after the date on which the pilot program terminates, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report describing the results of the pilot program.
Definitions
In this Act:
Anti-microplastic strategy
The term anti-microplastic strategy means—
downstream removal; or
source-side materials engineering.
Downstream removal
The term downstream removal means removing microplastic or nanoplastic from the environment using filtration or capture technology.
Microplastic
The term microplastic means a plastic particle that is—
equal to or smaller than 5 millimeters; and
larger than 1 nanometer.
Nanoplastic
The term nanoplastic means a plastic particle that is smaller than 1 micrometer.
Pilot program
The term pilot program means the pilot program established under section 3(a).
Recognized testing standard
The term recognized testing standard means a test method or protocol developed by an accredited standards development organization, including ASTM International and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, for evaluating the potential biodegradation, ecotoxicity, or recyclability of plastic materials.
Source-side materials engineering
The term source-side materials engineering means adding chemicals to a plastic resin so the finished product is consumed by microbes or mycelium at the end of life instead of fragmenting into persistent microplastics or nanoplastics.
Verified biodegradation
The term verified biodegradation means degradation of a material confirmed through molecular-level analytical testing, rather than visual observation or mass-loss measurement alone.