Consumers Deserve Truthful Recycling Labels

A Joint Statement from Californians Against Waste and the National Stewardship Action Council

The preliminary injunction issued this week temporarily pauses enforcement of SB 343, but it does not change the underlying challenge the law was designed to address: Californians and Americans deserve accurate information about what is and is not recyclable.

For decades, consumers have been told that packages are recyclable even when those materials are not widely accepted, sorted, or remade into new products and packaging at scale. The result has been confusion, contamination, higher system costs, and declining public trust in recycling.

SB 343 was enacted to bring greater transparency and accountability to recyclability claims by aligning labels with real-world recycling outcomes. While we are reviewing the court's decision and its implications, we continue to believe that claims made on packaging should reflect what actually happens after a material is placed in a recycling bin.

Consumers should not have to guess which bin an item belongs in. They should not be left to navigate competing claims, marketing language, or technical definitions to determine whether a package is actually recyclable.

This initial injunction ruling addresses specific legal questions that will continue to be considered through the judicial process. The broader policy question remains unchanged: how do we ensure that recyclability claims are truthful, consistent, and meaningful for the public?

Truthful labeling is not simply a consumer information issue. It is a necessary component of improving residential recycling systems, reducing contamination, educating consumers, supporting stronger end markets, and incentivizing packaging redesign that leads to better environmental outcomes.

That conversation is far from over.

Californians Against Waste and the National Stewardship Action Council remain committed to advancing policies that reduce confusion, strengthen recycling systems, and ensure that environmental marketing claims are grounded in real-world outcomes.

Accuracy on the label matters. Consumers deserve truthful information. No company should be allowed to lie on the label.

This statement can be attributed to the National Stewardship Action Council and Californians Against Waste.

Media Contacts Nick Lapis, Californians Against Waste | 415-845- 6335 | nicklapis@cawrecycles.org Heath Nettles, National Stewardship Action Council | 910-995-0759 | heath@nsaction.us