In the United States, the FTC Green Guides treat “recyclable” and “compostable” as different environmental marketing claims. One concerns recovery through an established recycling programme and the availability of relevant facilities; the other concerns whole-item composting performance and the conditions and facilities implied by the claim. A material property or certificate does not automatically answer both. [1]
The Guides describe the Federal Trade Commission’s views on avoiding unfair or deceptive environmental claims under Section 5 of the FTC Act. Section 260.1 expressly says they do not themselves bind the public or the Commission, and do not pre-empt other federal, state or local law. They should not be presented as a universal packaging certification scheme.
Recyclability includes a recovery route
Section 260.12 says a product or package should not be marketed as recyclable unless it can be collected, separated or otherwise recovered through an established programme for reuse or use in manufacturing or assembling another item. It also addresses qualifications concerning the availability of programmes and collection sites. [1]
In that unqualified recyclable-claim context, the Guides define “substantial majority” as at least 60% of consumers or communities where the item is sold. That figure describes facility availability for the claim framework. It is not the package’s measured recycling rate, a promise that 60% is actually recycled, or a universal threshold for compostability.
| Question | Rule or evidence | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Recyclable | Recovery through an established recycling programme | Section 260.12 also addresses availability and qualifications |
| 60% access reference | Substantial majority for the unqualified recyclable-claim context | Not a measured recycling rate or a general composting threshold |
| Compostable | Whole-item performance under the claimed conditions | Section 260.7 distinguishes home and appropriate facility conditions |
| Certification | Evidence within the certificate’s real scope | Section 260.6 preserves the marketer’s substantiation responsibility |
Compostability has performance and access questions
Section 260.7 calls for competent and reliable scientific evidence that all materials in the item break down into, or become part of, usable compost safely and in a timely manner under the relevant composting conditions. It addresses qualifications where home composting is not suitable and where the availability of municipal or institutional facilities could otherwise mislead consumers. [1]
The useful distinction is between what the complete item can do in the supported conditions and what the customer can actually do with it. Evidence from an industrial environment does not automatically substantiate an unqualified home-composting message. Collection or acceptance information also needs to describe the market in which the claim is made.
A seal does not take over the claim
Section 260.6 addresses certifications and seals, including the obligation to substantiate all claims reasonably communicated by them. A valid certificate can have a limited scope. If the overall presentation implies broad environmental superiority, the narrow underlying test may not support that broader impression. [1]
Section 260.3 also distinguishes benefits of the product, package or a portion of either. A statement about a bottle body should not silently become a statement about a complete package where another component materially changes the claimed recovery route.
Examine the message as consumers encounter it
Text, symbols, images and nearby qualifications combine to create the claim. A clarification hidden in a distant document may not correct the meaning of the main label. The Guides call for clear, prominent and understandable qualifications close to the claim where needed. [1]
This article explains the federal guidance’s distinctions; it does not decide whether an individual claim is lawful or replace state-specific requirements. The strongest review identifies the actual item, the message conveyed, the supporting performance evidence and the relevant recovery access, instead of treating a resin name or logo as a complete answer.
Sources
Sources checked 21 October 2026. Legal text, official interpretation and editorial examples are distinguished above. No individual product or business conformity assessment was performed.
- US Federal Trade Commission / eCFR. 16 CFR Part 260: Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims. Current eCFR rendition up to date as of 19 October 2026; guidance, not a standalone binding rule. Locator: 16 CFR 260.1–260.3, 260.6–260.7 and 260.12; current eCFR text read through official web reader. Relevant official text read; scope is the cited provision or guidance. Read through official web reader; direct local retrieval restricted or unavailable; selected evidence notes retained.
The public corrections channel is currently inactive. Read our corrections policy.
