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Bill would require retail produce PLU stickers be compostable to limit plastic in compost streams
Summary
Legislative counsel told the council that H.478 would prohibit plastic price‑look‑up (PLU) stickers on produce and require compostable materials and food‑grade adhesives, aligning an effective date with the EU’s planned adoption in 2028.
Michael Grady, legislative counsel, introduced H.478 as a bill relating to the composition of PLU (price lookup) stickers used on produce, saying the stickers are voluntary and not required by federal law but are increasingly relevant to composting and food residual processing.
Grady said some PLU stickers are vinyl or other plastics and that questions have arisen about their compostability and the adhesives used. “If a wholesale or retail seller of food attaches a price lookup sticker to produce the PLU sticker shall not be made of plastic and shall be compostable,” he said while describing draft statutory language. The bill as discussed would define compostable to mean the sticker meets industrial composting standards and uses a food‑grade adhesive.
Grady said the bill would be effective July 1, 2028, to align with a planned European Union adoption. Committee members asked whether other U.S. states are moving in this direction; Grady said it is being discussed in multiple jurisdictions but he did not identify a specific state with an active requirement. Members also asked about the prevalence of non‑compostable stickers and about supply chains and costs; Grady said he would research manufacturing sources and costs and that advocates and grocers would need to be heard if the committee moves the bill forward.
No formal vote or motion was recorded. The committee agreed to consider further information on materials, market availability, cost implications for retailers and compliance definitions before advancing the proposal.
