The Recycling Symbol's New Life as a Free Speech Battle Flag The recycling symbol, once a beacon of environmental responsibility, has been co opted by industry groups and federal courts in a battle over free speech that threatens to undermine efforts to reduce plastic waste.
A recent court decision blocking California's pioneering law to limit the use of the symbol on packaging highlights the growing trend of corporations invoking the First Amendment to shield their environmental marketing practices from regulation.
On its face, the law, SB 343, seems straightforward: it restricts the use of the recycling symbol on products and packaging that don't meet strict recyclability criteria.