The International Dairy Foods Association submitted a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade in support of the Packaging Claims Knowledge (PACK) Act.
Read the Letter Below:
Dear Chairman Bilirakis and Ranking Member Schakowsky,
On behalf of the International Dairy Foods Association, I write in strong support of the Packaging and Claims Knowledge (PACK) Act (H.R. 6832).
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA)represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3 million jobs that generate $198 billion in wages and $779 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers. Together, IDFA members represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world.
IDFA’s member companies depend on packaging to deliver delicious, safe, and nutritious dairy products to consumers. They currently navigate a complex and inconsistent patchwork of state requirements governing reusable, recyclable, and compostable packaging claims. Developing new packaging and labels and segregating product lines for certain state markets adds significant costs for businesses and, ultimately, consumers. A consistent national framework for recyclability claims would provide much-needed clarity while reducing unnecessary complexity.
Beyond adding cost and complexity for businesses and consumers, a patchwork of state recycling claim laws could have the unfortunate unintended consequence of reducing recycling rates. In California, many packaging materials do not meet the state’s definition for recyclability and will soon be prohibited from displaying any type of recycling claim. Without a recycling label, consumers will not seek to recycle packaging materials even when those packaging materials can be recycled.
As a result, the packaging material will not be recycled even if there is additional investment in technology and recycling capacity. Minimum recyclable rates are a key part of any extended producer responsibility liability law and those packaging materials lacking a recycling claim will eventually be phased out, banned or bear very high costs to those businesses using the material.
The PACK Act addresses these concerns by establishing a consistent federal framework for recyclable, compostable, and reusable claims under the oversight of the Federal Trade Commission. It would require third-party certification by accredited entities and provide clear and consistent information for consumers.
Thank you for putting the PACK Act on the committee agenda this week. IDFA looks forward to working with you and your staff to advance this important piece of legislation.
Sincerely,
Michael Dykes, D.V.M.
President and CEO
International Dairy Foods Association
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