Make a Recycled-Content Claim Specific to the Right Component

Why revisit this now?

As of November 1, 2026, COP31 is scheduled for November 9–20 in Antalya. That provides a timely reason to inspect climate-related marketing. The conference does not endorse any product or claim. These checks apply U.S. FTC guidance; other jurisdictions may use different rules.

The source is a dated snapshot, not a live monitoring feed. Return by 2026-11-20, or earlier if your evidence changes. A source published in an earlier year is identified as such below; its retrieval date is not a claim that the underlying rule is new.

The useful distinction

FTC guidance distinguishes partly recycled material and used, reconditioned, or remanufactured components.

A single percentage is convenient, but component scope determines what it means.

This guide separates a statement from the evidence that supports it. The companion tool turns your three answers into a short, ordered action brief. It does not replace the source, contact anyone, or turn uncertainty into a confident prediction.

Three questions to resolve

1. Is the claimed component or package boundary explicit?

   A clear boundary prevents a narrow claim from becoming a broad impression.

   If No or Not sure: Name whether the claim covers the product, its packaging, or one component.

2. Is the partial recycled share quantified and supported?

   FTC guidance calls for qualification of partly recycled products or packages.

   If No or Not sure: Ask for the supported percentage instead of implying the entire item is recycled.

3. Are used or reconditioned components described clearly?

   Recycled-content language should not obscure a component’s condition.

   If No or Not sure: Disclose reconditioned or remanufactured components where relevant.

Answer Yes only when you have supporting evidence. Choose Not sure when the information is missing or unclear. No and Not sure both keep the relevant action in the brief, but the exported record preserves the difference.

A worked example

Suppose the first check is No, the second is Yes, and the third is Not sure. These are illustrative choices, not facts about you. The App evaluates all three checks, records one confirmation, and returns two evidence gaps: checks 1 and 3.

The first next step is: Name whether the claim covers the product, its packaging, or one component. The brief also keeps this follow-up: Disclose reconditioned or remanufactured components where relevant.

Now change only the first answer to Yes. The result has one remaining gap, check 3, and its action becomes the next step. If all answers are Yes, the result records three confirmations without declaring the situation safe, compliant, or eligible.

What can go wrong?

Do not transfer a carton’s recycled-content percentage to an unrecycled appliance.

A polished brief can still contain mistaken inputs. Before acting, compare it with the original evidence and the current official instructions. If two sources conflict, ask the responsible authority or professional to resolve the conflict rather than selecting the answer you prefer.

Use the brief somewhere useful

Copy or download the recycled-content clarification brief for your own records or a focused conversation. It includes your answers, unresolved actions, the rule explanations, source links, and the review date. Printing is also free; no account or payment is required.

Keep sensitive supporting documents outside this tool. A result link contains only the three status choices, but even those can reveal context. Share only after reading the warning, and do not add private identifiers to a public message.

General information only. This is not medical, legal, financial, or emergency advice. A completed checklist is not independent verification and does not submit an application, complaint, or request.

Sources, dates, and limits

1. Federal Trade Commission — Environmental Claims: Summary of the Green Guides

   The Green Guides distinguish specific environmental claims, their qualifications, and the evidence needed to support them. This is U.S. marketing guidance, not a global certification scheme.

   Publication/effective date: Undated summary; retrieved 2026-11-01. Checked 2026-11-01.

2. UNFCCC — The Road to Antalya

   COP31 is scheduled in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20, 2026. This is a conference schedule, not an adopted outcome or a product endorsement.

   Publication/effective date: 2026-11-09 to 2026-11-20 (scheduled event). Checked 2026-11-01.