Federal law cracks down on recycled-content greenwashing, but allows mixing tricks.

What it does

This bill prohibits companies from making false or misleading claims about recycled content in products they advertise or sell to consumers. It establishes clear definitions of what counts as 'recycled' material, allows companies to use 'mass balance accounting' (a tracking method that mixes recycled and non-recycled materials in production) to substantiate recycled claims if certified by an independent third party, and gives the Federal Trade Commission authority to enforce the rules. The bill preempts state laws on this topic, creating one uniform federal standard.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is a prohibition on misleading recycled-content claims enforced by the FTC, paired with technical standards (mass balance accounting) to allow legitimate claims. This is fundamentally a consumer-protection and truth-in-advertising measure, not a subsidy or deregulation.

What the text implies

• Mass balance accounting, while certified, allows companies to claim recycled content for products that may contain little actual recycled material if mixed with virgin feedstocks in a certified supply chain—this is legal under the bill but may still feel like greenwashing to consumers who assume 'recycled content' means the product is mostly recycled.
• Federal preemption of state laws eliminates stricter state recycled-content standards (e.g., California's); companies can now comply with the federal floor and ignore higher state thresholds, potentially weakening environmental ambition in leading states.
• The bill does not mandate disclosure of the *percentage* of recycled content, only that claims be 'not misleading'—a company could claim 'recycled content' for a product that is 5% recycled if that is substantiated, without clearly stating the percentage.
• Enforcement depends entirely on FTC resources and prioritization; the bill creates no private right of action, so consumers cannot sue directly for false claims—only the FTC can enforce.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

Ordinary consumers gain clearer, more honest labeling and protection against greenwashing—false recycled-content claims that mislead purchasing decisions. The bill establishes a federal floor that prevents companies from exploiting weak or inconsistent state rules. The mass balance accounting provision, while potentially allowing some flexibility, is gated by third-party certification and scientific evidence requirements, reducing the risk of abuse.

Who stands to gain

• packaging and materials manufacturers (PKG, PPG, RPM, APD sectors)
• waste management and recycling companies (WM)
• companies currently making recycled-content claims who benefit from legal clarity and reduced litiga

Named in the bill

Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Packaging manufacturers, Recycling industry, Waste Management Inc. (WM), Sealed Air (SEE) / packaging sector, PPG Industries, RPM International, Air Products & Chemicals (APD)

Where it stands

13 cosponsors: 8 Republicans, 5 Democrats.

• Feb 11, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Feb 11, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce”
• Sep 1, 2026 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
• Sep 16, 2026 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 28 - 0”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

40 lobbying clients named this bill on 41 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Mar 2026 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $31,388,247 in lobbying spend. A filing names 7 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 99% of bills with at least one filing.

Nicholas Langworthy, the sponsor, reported $1,046,611 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle. $9,500 of that came from 3 PACs tied to these lobbying clients.

• Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A. — $16,950,000 on 1 filing
• Dow Chemical Company Dba Dow — $2,740,000 on 2 filings
• American Chemistry Council — $2,570,000 on 1 filing
• Exxon Mobil Corp — $1,850,000 on 1 filing
• Chevron Phillips Chemical Company Lp — $870,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 22, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.