David Clement of Consumer Choice Center on Powering America Podcast: Consumer Choice Center’s David Clement Discusses the Economic Importance of Advanced Recycling

David Clement, Policy Director at the Consumer Choice Center, discusses the economic importance of advanced recycling in a recent episode of the Powering America Podcast. The conversation covers topics such as plastics policy, economic development, and the environmental impact of advanced recycling technologies.

WASHINGTON — May 28, 2026 — In a recent episode of the Powering America Podcast, David Clement, Policy Director at the Consumer Choice Center, discussed advanced recycling and its implications for plastics policy, economic development, and environmental sustainability. The episode highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of plastics and the potential benefits of advanced recycling technologies.

Clement emphasized that for years, plastics have been viewed negatively, often labeled as "public enemy number one." He noted that this framing has overshadowed the economic and environmental advantages of plastics and advanced recycling. "For the better part of five years, plastics were kinda deemed as public enemy number one," he said, urging a reevaluation of the narrative surrounding plastic use.

The discussion also touched on the Recycling Technology Innovation Act, which aims to enhance U.S. capabilities in advanced recycling. Clement explained that advanced recycling, or chemical depolymerization, breaks down plastics into their original building blocks, allowing them to be repurposed into new products. "Advanced recycling is really kinda the next step in the recycling conversation," he stated, highlighting its potential to extend the life cycle of materials that would otherwise end up in landfills.

Clement further addressed the opposition faced by advanced recycling initiatives, particularly from environmental groups resistant to change. He pointed out that the market is already providing economically and environmentally beneficial solutions. "The market is providing all of these economically beneficial and environmentally beneficial solutions," he said, underscoring the importance of innovation in addressing waste management challenges.

The Consumer Choice Center is a North American non-governmental organization that advocates for consumer rights and promotes free market solutions to various public policy issues, including environmental sustainability and economic development.

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