NWRA Urges Vice President Pence to Provide Regulatory Flexibility for Waste Handling During COVID-19 National Emergency
Arlington, VA – The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the nation’s COVID-19 response task force, requesting additional regulatory flexibility during the declared national emergency. This letter follows similar outreach NWRA has made to Congress, federal agencies and state governments.
“NWRA appreciates Vice President Pence’s leadership during this crisis. We know that where there is poor sanitation, disease and illness spread,” said NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith. “NWRA member companies would like to be prepared for what we anticipate may be upheavals in the way solid waste is managed, and the flexibility we are requesting will help us be better prepared.”
NWRA is concerned that without the necessary flexibility, disruptions may occur that would impact the collection and processing of waste and recyclables. Disruptions could occur for a variety of reasons, such as impacts to collection and facility operations as a result of employees becoming ill from community spread of COVID-19; limited availability of personal protective equipment due to panic buying by the public; and difficulty marketing or moving recyclables materials due to limited exporting capacity and additional constraints at materials recovery facilities.
###
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
