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The
blueprints are a key step toward implementing Interior
Department Secretary Deb Haaland's order last year to reduce the
procurement, sale and distribution of single-use plastic
products and packaging on 480 million acres (194 million
hectares) of public lands.
The move aims to tackle a major source of U.S. plastic waste as
recycling rates have faltered.
"As the steward of the nation's public lands, and as the agency
responsible for the conservation and management of fish,
wildlife, plants and their habitats, we are uniquely positioned
to do better for our Earth," Haaland said in a statement.
Department facilities have already made progress by installing
stations to refill reusable water bottles, boosting recycling,
and seeking alternatives to items like plastic bags and
utensils, Interior said.
As part of the effort, bureaus and offices will collect data on
plastic use, analyze alternatives and identify priority products
to address first. They will also identify the need for potential
funding, according to plans from sub-agencies including the
Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Parks Service, the Fish
and Wildlife Service and others.
The plans notes the importance of educating employees and the
public to change behaviors around plastic use. For instance, the
National Parks Service plan says it may connect plastic
reduction with the need to protect wildlife or historical sites
in park messaging.
The plans will be updated next year to include interim targets
and details on how plastics will be eliminated, Interior said.
(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Jamie Freed)
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