I don't think there's any dispute related to plastic discards and plastics pollution leaking into our environment. I know there's a growing body of research that is trying to quantify its effects in terms of not only what it's doing to our environment, but also what it's doing to wildlife and to human health. That body of research is growing. There's really been no dispute, even in the early research, that there are grave negative impacts as it relates to microplastics and other chemical compounds that are part of fossil fuel-based plastics in the system. I think that's undisputable.
Unfortunately, the rate of production of plastics continues to grow, and our rate of recycling is declining. We're headed in the wrong direction. There's no question about that. It's pretty self-evident why some of the chemical companies or other manufacturers might have more interest in trying to support recycling efforts than they would reduction efforts in terms of self-efficacy and self-continuation. We have a long way to go on the recycling side, but we will not recycle our way out of this problem. I think you've heard this at committee several times. No research or science will tell us that. We know this already.
This is going to be a combination of eliminating, reducing, swapping out plastic materials to other alternatives and, of course, expanding recycling.