For many years, the plastics industry has led consumers to believe that items with the “chasing arrows” symbol could be recycled if placed in a curbside bin. However, as awareness increases about the lack of actual recycling of these products, the industry is now advocating for two proposals in Congress that would legally support misleading recycling claims. Two bipartisan House bills, which appear to offer transparency by establishing national standards for recycling and recycled content labels, are being promoted by oil, chemical, and packaging companies. These corporations spend significant amounts of money lobbying Congress annually. The legislation would prevent states from establishing more stringent guidelines. The implementation of that measure would counteract initiatives such as California’s “truth in labeling” legislation, which prohibits the use of the chasing arrow symbol on plastic items that have toxic substances or cannot realistically be recycled. One of the proposed measures supports a debated type of “mass balance” accounting, permitting companies to assert that a product contains recycled material even if minimal plastic has been repurposed. Two years ago, a study by ProPublica uncovered the deceptive mathematical tricks employed in that kind of mass balance, which the Biden administration then prohibited for certain items. Both bills, which have gained traction and may face a full House vote following the midterm elections, are considered ‘peak greenwashing’ by Rachel Fullmer, a staff attorney specializing in toxics and environmental health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, as she stated in an email. “They support misleading, consumer-unfriendly policies that lead to more plastic manufacturing and burning of plastic waste, masking themselves under the deceptive label of ‘recycling.'” According to experts, reducing the production and consumption of plastics is the most effective way to address the ongoing crisis it poses to human health and the environment. Recycling is considered a limited solution. A series of bills aim to address the expanding issue within the industry, as numerous states have implemented or suggested laws mandating manufacturers to accurately recognize the difficulties associated with plastic recycling. Companies may have to spend money on altering their packaging or labels due to these measures. The Consumer Brands Association, which represents industries such as Amazon, PepsiCo, and Land O’Lakes, commended the House bills. The organization, in a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders in July, stated that these proposals would work together to cut down consumer confusion and plastic waste while offering clarity to support new domestic innovations and investments. They show that consumer protection and recycling initiatives complement the promotion of affordability and manufacturing investments, and we wholeheartedly recommend your backing of both proposals. During the initial half of 2026, the organization used $2.4 million for lobbying on these legislative proposals and other matters, as reported by OpenSecrets.
