EPA shuts down misleading recycling claims in plastics industry

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken action against the plastics industry for using deceptive accounting methods to exaggerate claims of recycled content, marking a significant federal step to combat greenwashing in product labeling. The EPA's new policy bans the plastics industry from employing the mass balance method to falsely advertise recycled content in products.

Under the updated rules, products with the "Safer Choice" label must now contain at least 15% post-consumer recycled content, based on weight. This move is part of a broader initiative by the Biden administration to address plastic pollution and ensure truthful labeling.

“This represents a turning point,” said an EPA spokesperson, signaling an end to the “hoax” of mass balance. The new standards for products bearing the "Safer Choice" label are more stringent and transparent, benefiting consumers who want to make genuinely sustainable choices and indicating that the government is committed to addressing deceptive corporate practices.