George Landrith
American businesses face a number of hurdles on their way to success. Getting recognition, crafting a desirable product or service, and building efficient processes are just some of the arduous tasks facing innovators today. Unfortunately, too many businesses also face regulatory uncertainty created by vague or outdated statutes. Consumers want better products and companies want to provide them. However, policymakers are frequently behind the curve when it comes to evolving technologies.
When it comes to recycling, the story is no different. Environmentally conscious American consumers want clarity on which products get recycled and feel increasingly confused by labeling. At the other end of the equation, companies are facing a patchwork of state requirements that dictate what they can and cannot say about the recycled content in their products or packaging. Such confusion decreases consumer confidence and stifles investment.
Until recently, Washington has been largely silent on this issue. However, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House recently introduced the Recycled Materials Attribution Act (RMAA). This bill would create a uniform framework for recycled content marketing, saving companies from having to deal with 50 different frameworks across the United States. It will further give Americans more confidence that they are not being misled when it comes to corporate recycling claims.
The bill would also update the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Green Guides. The Green Guides are a set of principles that govern all environmental marketing claims made by American businesses. These guidelines are meant to circumvent deception. However, these guidelines have not been updated since 2012. In the end, the only people being deceived are the companies wondering how to comply, given how much technology has advanced in the nearly fifteen years since the last revision.
Speaking of updates, the RMAA would clarify that newer recycling technologies count as recycling. As ridiculous as it may sound, because of the public policy lag in this area, advanced recycling technologies that increase the types and amounts of plastics that can be recycled are left out in the cold. The RMAA would right this wrong and create a policy landscape that encourages this efficiency and innovation.
The bill would also authorize the use of third-party accounting methods to track plastics recycling and verify claims. Again, this seems so common sense, it is shocking that a bill to authorize this is needed at all. Many other industries use the same verification methods to track claims. There is no reason for plastics and recycling to be treated any differently. RMAA creates alignment where previously there was none.
In an era of increased partisanship and complicated legislative initiatives, the bipartisan RMAA is a breath of fresh air. It provides clarity for consumers and certainty for businesses. Lawmakers of all stripes should get on board with this effort to deliver an easy win for millions across the country.
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George Landrith is the President of the Frontiers of Freedom Institute and the author of “Let Freedom Ring… Again: Can Self-Evident Truths Save America from Further Decline?”