Ross Eisenberg, President of America’s Plastic Makers, said in a March 12th blog post that the Recycled Materials Attribution Act would help clarify recycled-content marketing claims and recognize advanced recycling technologies so more plastics can be recycled with greater consumer confidence.
The proposed legislation is intended to address confusion among consumers about recycled-content labels and provide manufacturers with clearer national standards. Supporters say this could lead to increased investment in recycling systems and innovation in the industry, according to Resource Recycling.
"The bill would help build confidence in the recycled content marketing claims that Americans see in the store by authorizing use of mass balance as an accounting method to track plastics recycling – when verified by a 3rd party – similar to the way it’s used in multiple other industries," said Eisenberg. "And the bill would unlock investment and innovation in plastics recycling by clarifying that newer recycling technologies count as recycling, contributing to American manufacturing and sustainability, just like mechanical recycling does. These advanced recycling technologies can significantly increase the types and amount of plastics that can be recycled."
Mass balance is a method companies use to track recycled material through production, even when different plastics are mixed together. According to the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC), this approach allows manufacturers to verify how much recycled content is in a product. The Recycled Materials Attribution Act would rely on methods like mass balance to give companies a clear, standardized way to support recycled-content claims, helping consumers trust the labels.
A survey of 1,600 U.S. adults commissioned by APR found that 42% thought a package labeled "contains recycled content" meant the product was entirely made from recycled materials. The results show that consumers often misunderstand these claims, which backers say a national standard could address.
The Consumer Brands Association says the U.S. recycling system is made up of nearly 10,000 different programs, each with its own rules on what can and cannot be recycled, and 75% of Americans agree that differing standards create confusion. That patchwork supports the case for a national framework: consistent rules would make claims easier to understand and easier for companies to meet across state lines.
Eisenberg leads America’s Plastic Makers as president and oversees a self-funded group of 19 American Chemistry Council Plastics Division member companies. He also directs plastics advocacy at various levels and previously served as ACC Vice President of Federal Affairs according to American Chemistry Council.
