Congress weighs packaging bill with implications for Albany manufacturers

ALBANY — A congressional hearing this week on proposed national packaging-labeling standards could have implications for several of southwest Georgia’s largest manufacturers, many of which produce or package products shipped across state lines.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade is scheduled to consider H.R. 6832, the Packaging and Claims Knowledge (PACK) Act, Wednesday as part of a broader hearing on consumer protection legislation.

The bill would establish a single federal framework governing voluntary “recyclable,” “compostable” and “reusable” claims on consumer-product packaging, replacing what supporters describe as a growing patchwork of state regulations. Companies choosing to make those claims would be required to obtain certification from an accredited independent third party before placing them on packaging, with enforcement handled by the Federal Trade Commission.

For Albany, the proposal carries particular significance because of the region’s concentration of manufacturers and food processors, including Georgia-Pacific, Pratt Industries, Mars Wrigley, Procter & Gamble and Tara Foods, whose products are distributed nationwide.

Lynn Dyer, president of AMERIPEN, said the legislation is intended to address a growing problem as individual states adopt their own definitions and labeling requirements for environmentally marketed packaging.

“We’ve been starting to see different states pass laws that have their own rules related to putting the word recyclable or the word compostable or even reusable on packaging,” Dyer said. “When different states have different ideas of what’s recyclable, compostable or reusable, it’s really hard for a manufacturer to create national packaging or be able to sell products across the states.”

California has become one of the primary drivers of the discussion, she said, while states including Washington and Colorado have adopted their own compostable-labeling requirements.

“In Washington, you need to make sure that a compostable product has some green or brown on it. In Colorado, it needs to have a different color,” Dyer said. “You don’t want a situation where, if it’s sold in Georgia or Connecticut or Colorado, it’s a different color in every single state.”

Supporters argue the issue extends beyond manufacturers.

If companies determine the varying state requirements become too burdensome, Dyer said, some may simply remove recycling or composting information from product packaging altogether.

“One of the options is, frankly, to just take the recyclable or compostable messaging off the product, and then the consumer won’t really know what to do,” she said. “Consumers will look directly on the package to say, ‘What am I supposed to do? Do I trash it? Do I recycle it? Do I compost it?’ Without that on-package messaging, it can be problematic for consumers.”

While AMERIPEN has not quantified the potential savings for Georgia manufacturers, Dyer said complying with multiple state standards adds costs throughout the supply chain.

“If throughout the entire supply chain costs go up to comply with all these different laws, then ultimately the consumer will potentially end up paying,” she said.

Environmental organizations have expressed concern in previous packaging debates that federal preemption could limit states’ ability to adopt stronger environmental standards.

Dyer said the PACK Act attempts to address those concerns by requiring independent verification before companies can make recyclable, compostable or reusable claims.

According to AMERIPEN, the legislation would not require companies to make environmental claims, nor would it affect broader state environmental policies such as extended producer responsibility programs. Instead, it focuses solely on establishing uniform national standards for the three covered claims while preserving state authority in other areas.

The legislation is one of several consumer-protection measures under consideration by the House subcommittee.

No committee vote is expected during Wednesday’s hearing. Dyer said supporters hope the legislation will next advance to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee before consideration by the full House while sponsors continue seeking a companion bill in the Senate.