PORTLAND — A proposal from Maine’s U.S. senators to keep more plastic out of the ocean has passed the U.S. Senate.

Sens. Susan Collins, a Republican, and Angus King, an independent, introduced the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act in June to build on the initial Save Our Seas Act from 2018. Their proposal would seek in part to find uses for plastic waste to keep it from entering oceans in the first place.

Collins said the proposal is critical for important Maine industries such as commercial fishing, aquaculture and tourism. Billions of pounds of plastic waste enter the oceans every year. That jeopardizes ecosystems and marine life.

“Maine’s waters and Maine’s well-being are inextricably linked – meaning any threat to our oceans is also a threat to the livelihood of Maine people,” King said.