Dive Brief:
- Two packaging-related bills described by proponents as bipartisan and complementary were discussed by the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade on Wednesday as part of a hearing focused on strengthening consumer protections.
- John Hewitt of the Consumer Brands Association and Recycling Leadership Council spoke in support of the Ameripen-led Pack Act, a labeling bill introduced in December, and the RLC-led Recycled Materials Attribution Act, a recycled content bill introduced in February.
- The bills also had critics at the hearing, including John Breyault, vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League. NCL objected to the Pack Act preempting “strong state-level labeling standards” such as California’s “without setting strong federal baselines to prevent corporate greenwashing,” and opposed the RMAA for legitimizing mass balance methods.
Dive Insight:
The Packaging and Claims Knowledge Act, sponsored by Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, seeks to reduce consumer confusion by amending the Federal Trade Commission Act to include certain requirements for recyclable, compostable and reusable claims for consumer product packaging, including that they make qualifying claims and are backed by third-party certifications. The legislation now has 17 co-sponsors, including one Democrat: California Congressman Adam Gray.
The opportunity to bring more uniformity to packaging labeling practices remains open as other federal and state solutions hit roadblocks.
Efforts by the Federal Trade Commission toward the end of the Biden presidency for a long-awaited update to the Green Guides, which are guidelines for environmental marketing claims, seemingly fell by the wayside. The 2026 Unified Agenda released this month did not mention the Green Guides under the FTC’s regulatory priorities.
Notably, a California law that tries to tackle this issue within the state is in jeopardy. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction pausing enforcement of SB 343 months ahead of its start date as part of a lawsuit filed by business groups.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Weber highlighted the Pack Act’s aims of creating “a consistent and voluntary federal framework” and noted: “It shouldn’t take a lawyer to figure out a recycling bin.”
Ameripen is “encouraged by today’s discussion and the continued momentum behind the PACK Act” and “looks forward to working with Congress as the legislation advances,” President Lynn Dyer said in a statement following the hearing.
Meanwhile, the Recycled Materials Attribution Act, sponsored by Rep. Nicholas Langworthy, R-N.Y., seeks to establish federal standards for recycled content and recycling — including chemical recycling — claims. The bill now has a bipartisan mix of 12 co-sponsors. Consumer Brands highlighted a six-figures ad spend this month on the RMAA targeted at 10 specific congressional districts.
“We commend subcommittee members on both sides of the aisle for their commitment to advancing this common-sense, bipartisan legislation that will help keep valuable materials in productive use and everyday products affordable,” Hewitt, senior vice president of packaging and sustainability at Consumer Brands and RLC spokesperson, said in a statement following the hearing.
