The Trump administration has presented a proposal to reduce the bodies of water protected under the Clean Water Act, redefining what is considered a “body of water of the United States.” Among those affected are wetlands, underground aquifers, and ephemeral streams, which would be excluded from federal regulation on dumping, filling, or dredging.
The measure has indirect implications for the metal packaging industry and can recycling, since used beverage containers often end up in waste management systems that depend on environmental regulations to prevent them from reaching rivers, lakes, or sensitive areas. Activists warn that limiting the protection of bodies of water may increase pollution and hinder the recovery of recyclable materials, including aluminum.
The administrator of the EPA, Lee Zeldin, defended the proposal as a balance between environmental protection and economic development, assuring that property owners will not need to spend money on consultants to know if they have protected waters on their land. However, experts and environmental organizations warn that the rule will favor large polluters and jeopardize recycling and resource conservation programs such as aluminum cans.
The controversy comes after the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling, which already limited the protection of wetlands to those with a “continuous surface connection” to protected waters, and after the Biden administration attempted to implement a broader definition. The new proposal seeks to further narrow the regulation, which, according to critics, could affect the sustainability of metal packaging and its proper recycling.
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