NWRA Applauds President Biden for Signing Legislation that Would Block Rail Strike
Arlington, VA – The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) applauds President Joe Biden for signing legislation that would block the expected rail strike. The House of Representatives and the Senate moved quickly to pass the legislation, sending it to the president’s desk today.
“We thank President Biden for signing this legislation into law so quickly,” said NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith. “A rail strike would be economically devastating to America and could also lead to a public health crisis if waste and recyclables that are transported by rail to recycling facilities and landfills are unable to be moved.”
While most of the country only began to focus on the railway issues in mid-September, NWRA’s members were already beginning to feel the effects across the U.S. as early as the spring. Member companies from the Northeast to the Northwest noticed that service disruptions were having a severe impact on their businesses.
Waste and recyclables must continue to be able to be shipped via rail without disruption. The loss of this transportation mode, even for a short time, would result in the stockpiling of waste and recyclables in communities and could lead to a public health crisis. For example, a substantial part of New York City’s waste leaves by rail daily.
NWRA joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and more than 400 other associations as a signatory on a coalition letter to congressional leaders earlier this week, calling on them to “take immediate steps to prevent a national rail strike and the certain economic destruction that would follow.”
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ABOUT NWRA
The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) represents the private sector waste and recycling services industry. Association members conduct business in all 50 states and include companies that manage waste, recycling and medical waste, equipment manufacturers and distributors, and a variety of other service providers. For more information about NWRA, please visit www.wasterecycling.org.
Contact
Brandon Wright
National Waste and Recycling Association
bwright@wasterecycling.org
202-364-3706
