NEWS: Sen. Schiff, Colleagues to Promote Sustainability and Protect Consumers Through Standardized Tracking and Accountability for Recycled Plastic Claims

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is introducing legislation that would implement a new standardized process of tracking recycled materials to address mislabeling and fraud by companies, reduce errors, and verify origins of recycled plastic content to help Americans better know the environmental impact of the products they are buying.

"Implementing a reliable process of tracking recycled materials will provide Americans with accurate information on plastics used in the products they're buying. Consumers deserve the truth when making choices among competing products. Our legislation will crack down on companies that mislead the public on their reporting of recycled plastic content," said Senator Schiff.

"Consumers deserve clear, accurate labeling to help them make informed choices about their purchases," said Senator Merkley. "Commonsense legislation like this one empowers consumers to understand just how much plastic they're buying, while ensuring manufacturers are accountable for the recycled content claims they make."

"Every time Americans pick up a product at the store, they should be able to trust what they see on the label and not have to wonder whether the products they buy are truly helping to reduce plastic waste," said Senator Booker. "This legislation will give consumers the honest information they need, strengthen our recycling systems, and ensure companies are accountable for helping address the plastic pollution crisis."

The Tracking Plastic Actwould establish a federal working group for recycled plastic content traceability with representatives from Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Trade Commission, Department of Agriculture, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of State, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Laboratory of the Rockies, institutions of higher education, and the National Academy of Sciences.

The established working group will:

• Develop recommendations to improve the measurement, traceability, and reporting of recycled plastic content in applicable sectors of the economy, and
• Develop recommendations to increase the use of post-consumer resin.

The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

The Tracking Plastic Act is endorsed by the Association of Plastic Recyclers, Recycling Partnership, World Wildlife Fund, Ocean Conservancy, and Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The full text of the legislation is available here.

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