Authored By: Alicia Lammers
Amazon was recently charged by 23 California district attorneys that it violated state law when it marketed and sold products labeled biodegradable or compostable. California’s law states that a product cannot be sold as “biodegradable” or “compostable” if the product cannot breakdown in a landfill or another environment.
Amazon settled with California for $1.5 million. The company also agreed to pay $50,000 to CalRecycle, the state agency responsible for recycling, towards testing their plastic products that are advertised as compostable or degradable. Part of the settlement required Amazon must have products certified as biodegradable or compostable before the company sells it.
Mercury News reports Amazon took steps to stop sales of the merchandise and cooperated with prosecutors. An Amazon spokesperson emailed into Mercury News stating the company had “already voluntarily been in compliance with these laws, and we are pleased to bring this issue to a mutually satisfactory conclusion with the District Attorneys.”
For more information on deceptive biodegradable claim click here to read Sheila Millar and JC Walker’s article.