Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) recently introduced the Truth in Labeling Act, a bill designed to establish federal standards for recycling, composting, and reuse claims on consumer products. The legislation specifically targets the use of the "chasing arrows" symbol, which is often used to identify plastic types rather than the actual recyclability of a product.
The "chasing arrows" symbol was created in 1970 for the first Earth Day as a sign for recyclable materials. However, according to Anja Brandon of the Ocean Conservancy, the Society of the Plastics Industry (now the Plastics Industry Association) began using the icon in the late 1980s to categorize different types of plastic. Environmental data cited in the bill's support indicates that less than 9 percent of plastics in the U.S. are successfully recycled, while significant amounts are landfilled, exported, or end up as ocean pollution.
Under the proposed Truth in Labeling Act, companies would be prohibited from labeling a product as "recyclable" unless they can prove that a majority of the population has access to recycling for that material and that there is a functional market for the collected waste. The bill also bans the use of the chasing arrows symbol on non-recyclable items. Notably, the legislation excludes chemical recycling technologies from being counted toward recycling claims, differing from other proposals like the PACK Act and the Recycled Materials Attribution Act, which Brandon characterizes as having weaker standards.
The scale of the issue is significant, as the U.S. is the world’s top generator of plastic waste. Proponents of the bill note that even small amounts of plastic pollution—less than a sugar cube's worth—can be fatal to marine life such as Atlantic puffins. If passed, the act would require companies to provide evidence of a "buyer" for recycled materials before using the label. This would force a shift in the day-to-day operations of manufacturers and waste management facilities, as they would no longer be able to use industry-standard plastic identification codes as synonymous with recyclability.
Knock-on effects would be felt in state-level policy and the broader waste management market. While the competing PACK Act and Recycled Materials Attribution Act would allow for "recycled content credits" from chemical recycling—where plastic is converted into fuel—the Truth in Labeling Act sets a precedent by excluding these processes from federal definitions. What happens next depends on the bill's progress through House and Senate committees; if enacted, it would override the current "mishmash" of varying state rules. Currently, no specific dates for votes or implementation have been reported.