PACK Act
Sponsored By: Representative Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]
Introduced
Summary
Truthful environmental packaging claims. This bill would set clear standards to stop misleading recyclable, compostable, and reusable labels and require accredited third-party certification plus straightforward consumer disclosures.
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- Consumers: Would deliver clearer on-package information by banning unsupported recyclability, compostability, and reusability claims and requiring disclosures about local program availability or the share of consumers with access.
- Manufacturers and packaging suppliers: Would force companies to substantiate claims with competent scientific evidence and obtain certification from an accredited third-party. Packaging that fails the tests cannot use the chasing-arrows resin symbol but may show a resin code inside an equilateral triangle. "Substantial majority" is defined as 60 percent or more for availability exemptions.
- Regulators and scope: Would direct the Federal Trade Commission to issue nonbinding guidance within two years, collaborate with the EPA, and create an advisory council within one year. Violations are treated as unfair or deceptive acts subject to FTC enforcement and the bill preempts state laws that are not identical to its rules.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Federal preemption of state rules
This bill would stop States or local governments from keeping or making packaging-claim laws that are not identical to the new federal rules. In effect, it would create one national standard for compostable, recyclable, and reusable packaging claims.
New rules for package claims
This bill would set national definitions for packaging claims. "Substantial majority" would mean 60 percent or more. Companies would not be allowed to call packaging recyclable, compostable, or reusable unless that is true and supported by reliable scientific evidence. Recyclable labels would have to show the percent of people with local recycling access or include clear qualifiers. Compostable labels would have to tell buyers whether home composting is possible and whether municipal composting is unavailable to 60 percent or more of buyers. Unqualified reusable claims would be barred unless the seller provides a reuse collection system or a product that enables reuse. Packages that cannot meet these rules could not use the three chasing-arrows recycling symbol.
Third-party certification required
This bill would require that any claim a product package is compostable, recyclable, or reusable be certified by an accredited third-party body. The Federal Trade Commission would have to issue guidance within two years on how to comply and what accreditation bodies should consider. The guidance would include whether certification bodies meet ISO/IEC 17065:2012 and how to account for different materials, colors, shapes, and sizes.
Limits on FTC rulemaking powers
This bill would let the FTC enforce these packaging rules as unfair or deceptive acts under its existing authority. The FTC would use its usual enforcement powers and penalties. The bill would bar the FTC from forcing anyone to make packaging claims and from issuing binding rules under this section.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]
TX • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1]
AL • R
Sponsored 1/12/2026
McDowell
NC • R
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Gray
CA • D
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Langworthy
NY • R
Sponsored 2/17/2026
Rep. Dunn, Neal P. [R-FL-2]
FL • R
Sponsored 2/23/2026
Rep. Joyce, David P. [R-OH-14]
OH • R
Sponsored 2/23/2026
Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1]
IA • R
Sponsored 3/16/2026
Crenshaw
TX • R
Sponsored 4/15/2026
Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
GA • R
Sponsored 5/13/2026
Rep. Rulli, Michael A. [R-OH-6]
OH • R
Sponsored 5/13/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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