Two New Congressional Bills Endorse Misleading Plastic Recycling Claims

Plastics companies spent two point four million dollars lobbying Congress this year to back two new recycling bills. The legislation would establish national standards for recycling labels. But the catch is that it would ban states from setting stricter rules. That move directly targets California and its truth in labeling law. One bill also endorses a mass balance accounting method. This lets companies claim a product contains recycled plastic when virtually none of it is actually inside. Rachel Fullmer at the Natural Resources Defense Council called the proposals peak greenwashing. Meanwhile the Consumer Brands Association praised the measures for cutting consumer confusion. ExxonMobil recently faced a lawsuit from the California attorney general over similar claims. That lawsuit states that ninety-two percent of the plastic processed at their Baytown plant becomes fuel instead of new plastic.