The Compostable Agriculture Packaging Act of 2024 establishes a federal system to regulate claims that agricultural and consumer product packaging is compostable. The bill creates a framework where the Secretary of Agriculture will recognize accreditation bodies, which in turn will accredit third-party certification organizations to verify and authorize compostable claims on packaging labels. The legislation applies to tangible consumer products sold in the United States and requires that compostable claims be based on standards and testing conducted by accredited certification bodies, while explicitly preventing the Secretary from mandating that companies make compostable claims or include composting instructions. Enforcement responsibility is shared between the Department of Agriculture, which handles compostable claim verification, and the Federal Trade Commission, which handles false advertising claims. The law includes a compliance timeline starting January 1, 2028, with no fees allowed for the accreditation application process, and includes a provision allowing the Secretary to directly accredit certification bodies if no recognized accreditation bodies have been identified within four years.
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