Sec. 3. Optimized plastics recycling research and development program. 
Sec. 4. Lithium-ion battery recycling research and development program. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 
means the Department of Energy. 
(2) NATIONAL LABORATORY.—The term ‘‘Na-
tional Laboratory’’ has the meaning given that term 
in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801). 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(4) RECYCLABLE PLASTIC.—The term ‘‘recycla-
ble plastic’’ means plastic that is designed to be 
readily, economically, and efficiently recyclable or 
otherwise recoverable for beneficial use. 
(5) CRITICAL
MATERIAL.—The term ‘‘critical 
material’’ means material that serves an essential 
function in the manufacturing of a product and has 
a high risk of a supply disruption, such that a short-
age of such material would have significant con-
sequences for the economic or national security of 
the United States. 
(6) COMPOSITE.—The term ‘‘composite’’ means 
plastic reinforced with fiber or particulate secondary 
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material like bio-derived fibers, carbon fibers, glass 
or any other solid material. 
SEC. 3. OPTIMIZED PLASTICS RECYCLING RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out a 
research, development, and demonstration program to ac-
celerate innovation in energy-efficient recyclable plastics, 
next-generation plastics, and composites recycling and 
upcycling strategies and technologies, in order to increase 
the economic value of plastics supply streams and to re-
duce the environmental impact of global plastics consump-
tion. 
(b) EXECUTION.—In carrying out the program under 
this section, the Secretary shall— 
(1) develop novel collection and sorting tech-
nologies to prevent plastics and composites, includ-
ing waterborne plastics, from entering landfills and 
the marine environment; 
(2) develop biological, chemical, and hybrid bio- 
chemical technologies and methods for deconstruct-
ing plastic and composite waste, including environ-
mental waste, into useful chemical and material 
streams; 
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(3) develop technologies to upcycle waste, in-
cluding chemical, material, and gaseous streams, 
into higher-value products; 
(4) develop new economically recyclable-by-de-
sign plastics and composites that can be scaled for 
domestic manufacturability and recovery; 
(5) develop new energy-efficient advanced man-
ufacturing techniques for reclaimed plastics and 
composites; and 
(6) develop new data collection methods and 
practices in collaboration with relevant Federal 
agencies. 
(c) LEVERAGING.—In carrying out the program 
under this section, the Secretary shall leverage resources 
and expertise from— 
(1) the Basic Energy Sciences Program and the 
Biological and Environmental Research Program of 
the Office of Science; and 
(2) the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renew-
able Energy. 
(d) STANDARD OF REVIEW.—The Secretary shall pe-
riodically review activities carried out under the program 
under this section to determine the achievement of tech-
nical milestones as determined by the Secretary. 
(e) FUNDING.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—From within funds author-
ized to be appropriated— 
(A) to the Department’s Office of Science, 
there shall be made available to the Secretary 
to carry out the program under this section 
$15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 
through 2025; and 
(B) to the Department’s Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, there shall 
be made available to the Secretary to carry out 
the program under this section $25,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
(2) PROHIBITION.—In carrying out the pro-
gram under this section, the Secretary shall not use 
funds made available under paragraph (1) for com-
mercial application of energy technology. 
SEC. 4. LITHIUM-ION BATTERY RECYCLING RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out a 
research, development, and demonstration program to 
support the development of— 
(1) advanced materials for batteries with con-
siderations given to resource availability and envi-
ronmentally benign disposal and recycling; and 
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(2) innovative technologies to reclaim and recy-
cle critical materials from advanced and lithium-ion 
based battery technologies used in consumer elec-
tronics, defense, stationary storage, and transpor-
tation applications. 
(b) EXECUTION.—In carrying out the program under 
this section, the Secretary shall— 
(1) promote the discovery of new domestically 
sourced raw materials for batteries that can degrade 
without causing damage to the environment; 
(2) develop innovative and cost-effective tech-
nologies and processes for the collection, storage, 
and transportation of discarded lithium-ion batteries 
that use domestic mining resources and increase 
availability of domestically sourced raw materials for 
batteries; and 
(3) develop cost-effective recycling processes to 
recover critical materials from discarded lithium-ion 
batteries and enable their reintroduction in new lith-
ium-ion cell technologies and for use in other rel-
evant industries. 
(c) LEVERAGING.—In carrying out the program 
under this section, the Secretary shall leverage resources 
and expertise from— 
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(1) the Basic Energy Sciences Program of the 
Office of Science; 
(2) the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renew-
able Energy, including current lithium-ion battery 
recycling activities supported by the Vehicle Tech-
nologies Office within the Office of Energy Effi-
ciency and Renewable Energy; and 
(3) the Office of Technology Transitions. 
(d) STANDARD OF REVIEW.—The Secretary shall pe-
riodically review activities carried out under the program 
under this section to determine the achievement of tech-
nical milestones as determined by the Secretary. 
(e) FUNDING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—From within funds author-
ized to be appropriated— 
(A) to the Department’s Office of Science, 
there shall be made available to the Secretary 
to carry out the activities under this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 
through 2025; and 
(B) to the Department’s Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, there shall 
be made available to the Secretary to carry out 
the activities under this section $10,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
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(2) PROHIBITION.—In carrying out the pro-
gram under this section, the Secretary shall not use 
funds made available under paragraph (1) for com-
mercial application of energy technology. 
Æ 
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