EPA shuts down deceptive recycling claims in plastics industry

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has cracked down on the plastics industry’s use of misleading accounting methods to inflate recycled content claims, marking a significant federal move to curb greenwashing in product labeling.

Lisa Song reports for ProPublica.

In short:

The EPA's new policy prohibits the plastics industry from using the mass balance method to falsely advertise recycled content in products.
Products labeled with the “Safer Choice” endorsement must now contain at least 15% post-consumer recycled content, calculated by weight.
This decision is part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to tackle plastic pollution and promote truthful labeling.

Key quote:

“This is the turning point” that will allow us to start killing the “hoax” of mass balance.

— Jan Dell, founder of The Last Beach Cleanup

Why this matters:

The EPA’s move means that any products endorsed under its "Safer Choice" label must now meet stricter, more transparent standards. This is a win for consumers who care about making genuinely sustainable choices and a signal that the government won't tolerate such corporate sleight of hand. Read more: Recycling plastics “extremely problematic” due to toxic chemical additives.

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EPA shuts down deceptive recycling claims in plastics industry

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