United States state reports

Publication status

50 detailed state reports are published in alphabetical order, beginning with Alabama and ending with Wyoming. The District of Columbia is not included in the state sequence because it is not a state.

Published reports

State	On-pack status	Current position
01. Alabama	Mixed	Alabama does not require a general resin-identification or recycling label. It does impose a precise warning whenever a rigid plastic container is labelled with compostable, biodegradable, degradable or similar language: the container must comply with the FTC Green Guides and carry “Not Recyclable, Do Not Recycle” with equal visual prominence.
02. Alaska	Mandatory	Alaska requires qualifying plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers to carry a resin-identification code molded or imprinted on or near the bottom. The statute prescribes the 1-7 code system and provides a specific civil-penalty and injunction route, but the code identifies resin and is not a legal guarantee of recyclability.
03. Arizona	Mandatory	Arizona requires covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers sold in the state to display a clearly visible, molded or imprinted 1-7 resin-identification symbol on the bottom. The statute prescribes the legacy chasing-arrows design but does not convert the material code into a recyclability claim.
04. Arkansas	Mandatory	Arkansas requires qualifying plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers to carry the prescribed 1-7 resin code molded, imprinted or raised on or near the bottom. Definitions, size thresholds and treatment of different-material labels or base cups determine whether and how the rule applies.
05. California	Mixed	California combines mandatory resin, beverage-deposit and non-flushable-wipe markings with detailed compostability and recyclability controls, environmental-claim substantiation duties and packaging producer responsibility. Each regime has its own scope, responsible actors, dates and enforcement route; SB 343 remains enacted but Attorney General enforcement is preliminarily enjoined.
06. Colorado	Mixed	Colorado requires resin codes on covered rigid plastic packaging and imposes a detailed identification system for compostable products. Certified compostables need prescribed visual signals, while non-certified plastic products cannot use specified degradation terms or mimicking presentation. The state’s packaging EPR program imposes separate producer duties without a general on-pack EPR mark.
07. Connecticut	Mandatory	Connecticut imposes two distinct package identifiers: a resin code on qualifying plastic bottles and a redemption statement on covered beverage containers. The resin regulation prescribes dimensions and placement but makes the triangle optional; the bottle bill requires the refund value or approved return wording together with Connecticut identification.
08. Delaware	Mandatory	Delaware requires covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers to carry the prescribed 1-7 resin code molded, imprinted or raised on or near the bottom. The statute includes broad actor definitions, a civil penalty range and injunctive enforcement. Delaware no longer operates a bottle-deposit program.
09. Florida	Mixed	Florida requires a molded 1-7 resin-identification label on covered single-use plastic bottles and rigid containers. It separately requires manufacturers and distributors making environmental representations to maintain substantiating records available to the Department of Legal Affairs, and criminalizes false environmental representations.
10. Georgia	Mandatory	Georgia requires rigid plastic containers and bottles manufactured for use in the state or offered for sale there to carry a molded 1-7 resin code. The statute gives a specific rule for compatible secondary components and requires code 7 when the materials are incompatible for recycling.
11. Hawaii	Mandatory	Hawaii requires resin identification on covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers and a separate Hawaii-specific mark on beverage containers in the HI-5 deposit program. The two marks serve different legal functions and must be assessed independently.
12. Idaho	None	Idaho does not currently appear to prescribe a general sustainability, resin-identification, deposit or disposal label for ordinary packaging. Federal claim standards and Idaho’s general prohibition on deceptive practices still govern voluntary environmental representations.
13. Illinois	Mixed	Illinois requires resin-identification codes on specified single-use plastic containers and detailed “Do Not Flush” presentation on covered nonwoven disposable wipes. The wipe law also prohibits express and implied flushable representations.
14. Indiana	Mixed	Indiana requires resin-identification codes on covered plastic bottles and rigid containers. Its Environmental Marketing Claims Act also regulates the meaning and substantiation of specified green claims and requires businesses to maintain supporting information.
15. Iowa	Mandatory	Iowa requires resin-identification codes on covered plastic bottles and rigid containers and a clear refund-value indication on beverage containers within the state deposit program. These are independent marking obligations with different statutory actors and penalties.
16. Kansas	Mandatory	Kansas requires a nationally recognized resin-identification code on or near the bottom of covered plastic bottles and rigid containers. Current law no longer prescribes the former chasing-arrows graphic, an important distinction for mold and artwork specifications.
17. Kentucky	Mandatory	Kentucky requires a molded 1-7 resin-identification label on covered plastic bottles and rigid containers. Its statute contains a distinctive approval mechanism allowing certain multilayer or mixed-resin containers to use a primary-resin code when recyclability documentation satisfies the environmental cabinet.
18. Louisiana	Mandatory	Louisiana prohibits the knowing and intentional sale or distribution of covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers unless they carry a resin-identification code conforming to the nationally used industry system.
19. Maine	Mixed	Maine requires resin identifiers on covered rigid plastic packaging and Maine-specific refund information on covered beverage containers. It also makes violations of the FTC Green Guides actionable under state law and is implementing a packaging producer-responsibility program that does not itself prescribe a universal consumer mark.
20. Maryland	Mixed	Maryland requires resin codes on covered rigid plastic packaging, prohibits broad degradability language on plastic products and conditions compostability claims on named standards. Its packaging EPR program is being implemented but does not create a universal on-pack mark.
21. Massachusetts	Mixed	Massachusetts requires resin-identification codes on covered plastic bottles and rigid containers and a refund legend on covered deposit beverage containers. A pending bill would add specific controls for recyclability, biodegradability and compostability claims, but it is not current law.
22. Michigan	Mixed	Michigan layers an unusually broad resin-code law, a ten-cent beverage-deposit mark, express environmental-claim standards and detailed non-flushable-wipe labelling. Each regime has its own product definition, responsible actors and evidence requirements.
23. Minnesota	Mixed	Minnesota requires material coding for covered plastic containers, tightly controls biodegradability and compostability labelling, and is implementing a statewide packaging producer-responsibility system. The EPR law imposes organisational and financing duties rather than a universal on-pack mark.
24. Mississippi	Mandatory	Mississippi requires covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers to carry the prescribed resin-identification symbol on or near the bottom.
25. Missouri	Mandatory	Missouri requires retail and wholesale businesses to ensure that covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers carry the statutory 1-7 resin-identification label.
26. Montana	None	Montana does not currently appear to prescribe a general resin-identification, beverage-deposit, compostability, flushability or recycling mark for ordinary packaging. Voluntary environmental claims remain subject to federal guidance and Montana’s prohibition on unfair or deceptive practices.
27. Nebraska	Mandatory	Nebraska requires manufacturers and distributors to imprint the statutory resin-identification code on covered single-use plastic bottles and rigid containers.
28. Nevada	Mandatory	Nevada requires manufacturers and distributors to mold or imprint the prescribed resin-identification symbol on covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers.
29. New Hampshire	None	New Hampshire does not currently appear to prescribe a generally applicable sustainable packaging mark for ordinary consumer packaging. Its former recycling-logo chapter was repealed in 2007, and a 2024 proposal concerning deceptive recyclability symbols was not enacted.
30. New Jersey	Mixed	New Jersey requires the traditional resin-identification code on covered rigid plastic packages and imposes minimum postconsumer recycled-content and registration duties on specified packaging. A current bill would separately restrict deceptive recyclability claims, but it has not been enacted.
31. New Mexico	Mixed	New Mexico does not require a general resin-identification or recycling label. Attorney General regulations in 12.2.5 NMAC treat specified environmental marketing claims as unfair or deceptive practices and require a prior reasonable basis, including collection-availability qualifications for recyclable claims.
32. New York	Mixed	New York requires a refund-value and New York or NY mark on covered beverage containers and incorporates the FTC recyclable, recycled and reusable guides into 6 NYCRR Part 368. Remaining plastic carryout bags in the at-store recycling programme must carry a prescribed return-for-recycling statement. A pending bill would add recyclability-claim and resin-code duties; it is not enacted.
33. North Carolina	Mixed	North Carolina requires the traditional 1-7 chasing-arrows resin code on covered rigid plastic containers and, where those containers are labelled degradable, biodegradable, compostable or similar, a matching “Not Recyclable, Do Not Recycle” statement.
34. North Dakota	None	North Dakota does not currently prescribe a general sustainable packaging mark. Its former Plastic Products Degradation and Labeling chapter was repealed in 2017. Federal claim standards and North Dakota’s general prohibition on deceptive practices still govern voluntary environmental representations.
35. Ohio	Mandatory	Ohio requires a molded or raised 1-7 chasing-arrows resin-identification label on covered plastic bottles of 16 ounces to less than five gallons and rigid plastic containers of eight ounces to less than five gallons.
36. Oklahoma	Mandatory	Oklahoma requires covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers to carry the prescribed 1-7 chasing-arrows resin code. The size thresholds sit in the definitions section; violation of the labelling duty is a misdemeanor.
37. Oregon	Mixed	Oregon requires the refund value on covered beverage containers and a “Do Not Flush” label on covered wipes, operates a packaging EPR programme without a universal consumer mark, and repealed its resin-code statute in 2021. Truth in Labeling Task Force recommendations were not enacted.
38. Pennsylvania	None	No general resin-identification, deposit, compostability, flushability or environmental-marketing presentation statute was identified. General consumer-protection law and federal claim standards remain relevant. The finding is recorded as not identified rather than as a proof that none exists.
39. Rhode Island	Mixed	Rhode Island requires the traditional resin code on covered plastic bottles and rigid containers and separately prohibits untruthful, deceptive or misleading environmental marketing claims, with a statutory defence tied to the 1992 FTC Green Guides.
40. South Carolina	Mandatory	South Carolina requires covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers to carry the prescribed 1-7 chasing-arrows resin-identification code on or near the bottom. Size thresholds sit in the definitions section.
41. South Dakota	Mandatory	South Dakota requires covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers to carry a 1-7 resin-identification code placed within the universal recycling symbol. The code identifies resin and is not a recyclability determination.
42. Tennessee	Mandatory	Tennessee requires covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers to carry a molded, imprinted or raised 1-7 chasing-arrows resin code on or near the bottom. The code identifies resin and is not a recyclability determination.
43. Texas	Mandatory	Texas requires the traditional chasing-arrows resin-identification symbol molded or imprinted on or near the bottom of covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers. Manufacture and distribution are both controlled.
44. Utah	None	Utah does not currently appear to prescribe a general sustainability, resin-identification, deposit or disposal label for ordinary packaging. Federal claim standards and Utah’s Consumer Sales Practices Act still govern voluntary environmental representations.
45. Vermont	Mandatory	Vermont requires “Vermont” or “VT” and the refund value on covered beverage containers, in type of at least one-eighth inch. No general resin-identification statute was identified. Act 158 of 2026 amended labelling administration but does not create a recyclability logo.
46. Virginia	Mandatory	Virginia requires covered plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers to carry the prescribed 1-7 chasing-arrows resin code on or near the bottom. A violation is a fine of not more than 50 dollars for each day.
47. Washington	Mixed	Washington requires a resin code on covered rigid plastic packaging, certified compostable presentation with green, beige or brown signals and a ban on specified degradability terms, and a “Do Not Flush” label on covered wipes. Packaging EPR is enacted but does not create a universal on-pack mark.
48. West Virginia	None	No general resin-identification, deposit, compostability, flushability or environmental-marketing presentation statute was identified. The state’s consumer-protection materials could not be retrieved in full, so this is recorded as not identified rather than as a finding that none exists.
49. Wisconsin	Mixed	Wisconsin requires resin identification on covered plastic bottles and containers under DATCP rules, without the statute itself prescribing chasing arrows. ATCP 137 conditions unqualified degradable claims and other environmental representations.
50. Wyoming	None	Wyoming does not currently appear to prescribe a general sustainability, resin-identification, deposit or disposal label for ordinary packaging. Federal claim standards and Wyoming’s Consumer Protection Act still govern voluntary environmental representations.

How to read these reports

Each report starts with the practical result, then explains legal scope, package definitions, exact artwork, obligated actors, dates, enforcement and interaction with federal claims law. A required resin code identifies material; it does not by itself establish recyclability. Claim-triggered duties apply only when the regulated representation is made, while deposit, resin and product-specific warnings can apply regardless of marketing choice.

Why states are separate

United States packaging labelling is often governed at state level. State reports sit in Rules by market beside the national federal-law overview, so that California or Colorado is not treated as a country and the two levels of government remain distinct. The fifty-state sequence is complete.

Published state reports: 50. Last updated: 21 August 2026.