AB 1201: California Restricts Marketing of "Compostable" Products
Summary
AB 1201 was enacted in October 2021. It amends existing law that prohibits a person from selling plastic product that is labeled as compostable or home compostable unless that product meets specified criteria. Specifically, AB 1201 prohibits the offer for sale or sale of all products labeled as “compostable” or “home compostable,” unless at the time of sale, the product meets the specifications of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or, if applicable, the standards of the “OK compost HOME” certification. The law also prohibits sale of products labeled “biodegradable,” “degradable,” or “decomposable,” or any term that implies the product will break down, fragment, biodegrade, or decompose in a landfill unless it meets the ASTM standard specification or European Committee for Standardization's standard specification.
