A bill to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate certain limitations with respect to pre-production plastic pellet pollution, and for other purposes.

S. 4181 is a Senate bill introduced on March 24, 2026, that would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to create regulations limiting pre-production plastic pellet pollution. Pre-production plastic pellets, also called nurdles, are small plastic resin pellets used as raw material in manufacturing plastic products. These pellets can escape during production, transportation, and storage, entering waterways and the environment where they persist as microplastics.

If enacted, this bill would require the EPA to establish specific limitations and standards to reduce plastic pellet pollution. The practical effect would be to impose new regulatory requirements on manufacturers and industries that handle plastic pellets, potentially increasing compliance costs but aiming to reduce plastic contamination in water systems and ecosystems. The bill is currently in the committee stage and has not yet been voted on by the full Senate.