Plastic Pollution Control Act of 1987
PL 100-556 (S.1986), enacted 10/28/1988

PUBLIC LAW 100-556—OCT. 28, 1988 
102 STAT. 2779 
Public Law 100-556 
100th Congress 
An Act 
To require that plastic ring carrier devices be degradable, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
TITLE I—DEGRADABLE PLASTIC RING 
CARRIERS 
Oct. 28, 1988 
[S. 1986] 
SEC. 101. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds that— 
(1) plastic ring carrier devices have been found in large 
quantities in the marine environment; 
(2) fish and wildlife have been known to have become entan-
gled in plastic ring carriers; 
(3) nondegradable plastic ring carrier devices can remain 
intact in the marine environment for decades, posing a threat to 
fish and wildlife; and 
(4) 16 States have enacted laws requiring that plastic ring 
carrier devices be made from degradable material in order to 
reduce litter and to protect fish and wildlife. 
SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS. 
» 
As used in this title— 
(1) the term "regulated item" means any plastic ring carrier 
device that contains at least one hole greater than 1% inches in 
diameter which is made, used, or designed for the purpose of 
packaging, transporting, or carrying multipackaged cans or 
bottles, and which is of a size, shape, design, or type capable, 
when discarded, of becoming entangled with fish or wildlife; and 
(2) the term "naturally degradable material" means a mate-
rial which, when discarded, will be reduced to environmentally 
benign subunits under the action of normal environmental 
forces, such as, among others, biological decomposition, photo-
degradation, or hydrolysis. 
SEC. 103. REGULATION. 
Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this 
title (unless the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency determines that it is not feasible or that the byproducts of 
degradable regulated items present a greater threat to the environ-
ment than nondegradable regulated items), the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency shall require, by regulation, that 
any regulated item intended for use in the United States shall be 
made of naturally degradable material which, when discarded, 
decomposes within a period established by such regulation. The 
period within which decomposition must occur after being discarded 
shall be the shortest period of time consistent with the intended use 
42 u s e 6914b 
note. 
42 u s e 6914b. 
42 u s e 6914b-l. 
102 STAT. 2780 
PUBLIC LAW 100-556—OCT. 28, 1988 
of the item and the physical integrity required for such use. Such 
regulation shall allow a reasonable time for affected parties to come 
into compliance, including the use of existing inventories. 
TITLE II—SAN FRANCISCO BAY 
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 
Public 
information. 
Fish and fishing. 
16 use 668dd 
note. 
16 use 668dd 
note. 
SEC. 201. ENLARGEMENT OF REFUGE. 
Section 2 of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for the establish-
ment of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge", approved 
June 30, 1972 (16 U.S.C. 668dd note), is amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 2. There shall be included within the boundaries of the 
refuge the following: 
"(1) Those lands, marshes, tidal flats, salt ponds, submerged 
lands, and open waters in the south San Francisco Bay area 
generally depicted on the map entitled 'Boundary Map, Pro-
posed San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge', dated July 
1971, and which comprise approximately twenty-one thousand 
six hundred and sixty-two acres within four distinct units to be 
known as Fremont (five thousand five hundred and twenty 
acres), Mowry Slough (seven thousand one hundred and sev-
enty-five acres), Alviso (three thousand and eighty acres), and 
Greco Island (five thousand eight hundred and eighty seven 
acres). Said boundary map shall be on file and available for 
public ip«5pection in the offices of the United States Fish and 
Wildlife 
rvice, Department of the Interior. 
"(2) Up to 20,000 acres in the vicinity of the areas described iif 
paragraph (1), and similar to the areas described in paragraph 
(1), whit, the Secretary determines are necessary to protect fish 
and wildlife resources.". 
SEC. 202. TOTAL AREA OF REFUGE. 
Subsection (a) of section 3 of such Act is amended in the second 
sentence by striking "twenty-three thousand acres" and inserting 
"43,000 acres". 
SEC. 203. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 5 of such Act is amended— 
(1) by inserting "(a)" before "There"; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
•iWrS^-' 
PUBLIC LAW 100-556—OCT. 28, 1988 
102 STAT. 2781 
"(b) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to 
acquire areas described in section 2(2) such sums as may be 
necessary, which shall remain available until expended.". 
Approved October 28, 1988. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1986 (H.R. 940) (H.R. 5117): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 100-360, Pt. 1 accompanying H.R. 940 (Coram, on Merchant 
Marine and Fisheries), and No. 100-946, Pt. 1 (Coram, on Mer-
chant Marine and Fisheries) and Pt. 2 (Coram, on Energy and 
Coramerce) accorapanying H.R. 5117. 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 100-270 (Coram, on Environraent and Public Works) and No. 
100-266 accompanying H.R. 940 (Corara. on Coramerce, Science, 
and Transportation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 133 (1987): Oct. 13, H.R. 940 considered and passed House. 
Vol. 184 (1988): May 13, S. 1986 considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 4, H.R. 5117 considered and passed House; proceedings 
vacated and S. 1986, amended, passed in lieu. 
Oct. 14, Senate concurred in House araendraents.