FPA supports recycling legislation

The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) has called on congressional leadership to prioritize and advance this year three bipartisan measures designed to strengthen America's recycling system, improve consumer understanding of packaging recyclability, and accelerate progress toward a more circular economy.
 
In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, FPA urged swift consideration of the Packaging and Claims Knowledge (Pack) Act of 2025 (H.R. 6832), the Recycled Materials Attribution Act (RMAA) (H.R. 7502), and the Strategies to Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development (Steward) Act of 2025 (S. 351).
 
'Together, these three bills address the full continuum of challenges in flexible packaging recycling, from consumer education and recyclability labeling to recycled-content verification and infrastructure investment,' said FPA president and CEO Dan Felton. 'Enacting these measures will provide the certainty and tools needed to increase recycling rates, support domestic manufacturing and advance a more circular economy.'
 
Flexible packaging plays an essential role in protecting food, medical devices, personal care products and other consumer goods while delivering significant environmental benefits, including reduced material use, lower greenhouse gas emissions, improved transportation efficiency and reduced food waste. However, the industry continues to face end-of-life challenges due to limited recycling infrastructure and underdeveloped markets for flexible materials.
 
To address these challenges, FPA highlighted the importance of the three bipartisan bills.
 
The Pack Act will create nationwide standards for recyclability, compostability and reusability claims under the oversight of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). According to FPA, a growing patchwork of state labeling requirements, including California's SB 343, is creating consumer confusion and complicating recycling efforts. The Pack Act will help consumers properly manage packaging at the end of its life and divert more materials from landfills.
 
RMAA establishes a uniform national standard for validating recycled-content claims and directs the FTC to update its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (Green Guides). The legislation's recognition of advanced recycling technologies and mass-balance accounting methodologies is especially important for flexible packaging used in food, medical and other high-performance applications requiring high-purity materials.
 
The Steward Act complements the Pack Act and RMAA by authorizing a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pilot grant program focused on expanding recycling access, particularly in underserved and rural communities. The legislation will also strengthen national data collection on recycling and composting systems.
 
FPA emphasized that the three measures work together to address key barriers preventing greater recycling of flexible packaging, including inconsistent labeling standards, uncertainty surrounding recycled-content claims and limited collection and processing capacity.
 
The association urged congressional leaders to schedule floor consideration of the Pack Act, RMAA and Steward Act at the earliest opportunity and reaffirmed its commitment to serving as a resource as lawmakers advance the legislation.