July 16, 2026

To: Chairman Gus Bilirakis, Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade United States House of Representatives
Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky, Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade United States House of Representatives 

CC: Chairman Brett Guthrie and Ranking Member Frank Pallone
Members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee

Re: The Recycled Materials Attribution Act of 2026 and The Packaging Claims and Knowledge Act

Dear Representative Bilirakis, Representative Schakowsky, and Members of the Committee:

The Consumer Brands Association (“Consumer Brands”) writes to indicate our strong support for two critical pieces of recycling legislation, the Recycled Materials Attribution Act (RMAA), as introduced by Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23), and the Packaging Claims and Knowledge Act (PACK Act), as introduced by Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX-14). The RMAA and PACK Act would provide consumers with clear, consistent, and trustworthy labeling to make more informed purchasing decisions, improve consumer confidence in our recycling system, and provide the regulatory consistency and certainty needed to spur investment in domestic manufacturing.

Consumer Brands champions the industry that makes the products consumers choose and the brands they trust. From household and personal care to food and beverage products, the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry plays a vital role in powering the U.S. economy, contributing $2.5 trillion to U.S. GDP and supporting 22.3 million American jobs. The CPG industry’s number one priority is delivering safe, affordable, and convenient products to consumers every day. But the industry also plays a crucial role in reducing packaging waste and increasing recycling in the U.S. According to recent data, industry-led source reduction efforts have decreased U.S. packaging volume by about five million metric tons between 2019 and 2024. Consumer Brands is also leading a broad-based coalition, the Recycling Leadership Council, committed to modernizing recycling standards and reducing plastic waste, and supportive of both the RMAA and PACK Act.

Environmental and recycling marketing claims are governed by overlapping and conflicting federal and state laws. Further contributing to the confusion are recycling standards developed decades ago that no longer reflect how products are made or used today – especially when it comes to plastics. These outdated and inconsistent policies create significant consumer confusion with recycled content and recyclability claims; unnecessarily increase consumer costs; generate regulatory uncertainty; and stifle economic investment in domestic manufacturing.

The RMAA creates a uniform national framework for recycled content marketing claims, reducing complexity for consumers and businesses and ensuring recycling terms reflect innovations in this space. Further, the RMAA would clarify that innovative non-mechanical recycling technologies count as recycling, contributing to American manufacturing and sustainability. These innovative recycling technologies complement our existing mechanical recycling infrastructure, greatly expanding the types, formats, and volume of plastics that can be effectively recycled, ultimately supporting the circularity of plastics. The RMAA is a rifle-shot effort to ensure consistent consumer protection obligations and enforcement, while also supporting economic growth and U.S. competitiveness by encouraging American innovation and investment in domestic manufacturing, decreasing reliance on foreign inputs, ensuring domestic supply-chain resiliency, and creating good-paying jobs.

Similarly, the PACK Act is also intended to reduce confusion when it comes to recycling and recyclability, but at a different point in the value chain. The PACK Act establishes a single federal framework under the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for “recyclable,” “compostable,” and “reusable” claims on consumer packaging, replacing today’s confusing patchwork of conflicting state laws. It provides consumers with accurate, consistent information and gives businesses one clear standard for labeling across state lines. The result is less consumer confusion, better end-of-life management of packaging, and a stronger circular economy.

Taken together, both bills work in tandem to reduce consumer confusion and plastic waste while providing much-needed clarity to support new domestic innovations and investments. Members of the committee on both sides of the aisle should be commended for championing commonsense, bipartisan legislation that will facilitate a more functional and credible recycling system. The RMAA and PACK Act demonstrate that consumer protection and recycling-focused efforts go hand-in-hand with promoting affordability and manufacturing investments, and we strongly encourage your support for both bills. Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

John Hewitt
Senior Vice President, Packaging & Sustainability
Consumer Brands Association

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