# How to Substantiate Plastic Reduction Claims

> Make defensible plastic reduction claims. The Wellness Quality Institute builds the evidence file regulators and retailers expect. Get verified.

**Published:** 2026-10-30 | **Updated:** 2026-10-31 | **Author:** mihir
**URL:** https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide
**Type:** post

**Categories:** Certification

![How to Substantiate Plastic Reduction Claims](https://wellnessquality.sites.aigrowthagent.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/93/2026/10/1793269380456-2a6a9da1b4be-1024x572.webp)

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## Content

*Written by: Scott Steveson, Specialist, Wellness Quality Institute*

## Key Takeaways

- Most plastic reduction claims fall apart because the wording reaches further than the evidence. Match the claim to what the file actually supports before you publish.
- Build the claim in stages: write the exact wording first, then define scope and functional unit, establish a like-for-like baseline, account for every plastic component, and calculate the reduction. Capture everything in a seven-field substantiation file, then obtain independent review.
- Claims such as “plastic-free” are structurally indefensible because no laboratory method can confirm the complete absence of plastic across all particle sizes, polymer types, and production lots.
- Recycled-content claims and source-reduction claims are distinct. Recycled content does not automatically reduce total plastic mass per unit.
- The Wellness Quality Institute provides independent Plastic-Free Pathway Verification that reviews existing laboratory data against defined standards so brands can substantiate real progress toward plastic-free packaging.

[Talk to The Wellness Quality Institute about Plastic-Free Pathway Verification.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Why Plastic Reduction Claims Fail And What “Substantiate” Actually Means

Most plastic reduction claims fail because the claim language is broader than the evidence behind it. A claim is only as strong as its narrowest wording.

Six terms anchor every conversation about plastic reduction claim substantiation, and they build on each other. **Substantiation** means holding a documented evidentiary file that supports the exact words used, at the exact scope and period claimed. A lab report, a supplier statement, or a good intention is not enough on its own. The **baseline** is the comparison design, meaning the prior package or formulation against which the reduction is measured. The **functional unit** is the defined quantity of product the comparison uses, such as one bottle, one case, or one kilogram of product delivered. The **scope** is the boundary of the claim, including which SKUs, which markets, and which period. **Source reduction** is the Federal Trade Commission’s term for a real decrease in the amount of material used per unit, which differs from a decrease in total purchases driven by lower sales volume. **Recycled content** is an input-composition claim that describes what the material is made from. It is not a reduction-in-material claim. The **detection floor** is the particle size or concentration below which a laboratory method cannot reliably identify plastic. A result of “none detected” means none found above that floor.

Three pressures now converge on brands. Retailer and procurement diligence on plastic claims is intensifying. Consumer concern about plastic content in everyday products is rising. Legal exposure from unsubstantiated environmental marketing is growing, with class-action litigation targeting companies whose plastic claims lack support. These pressures call for precise claims that match the evidence.

[See the full evidence checklist for plastic reduction claims.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/plastic-claim-substantiation-checklist/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

[Get your substantiation file reviewed against a defined standard.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## The Claim-To-Evidence Matrix For Common Plastic Wording

Each common claim wording carries a specific evidence requirement. Align your file with the exact words you plan to use, then narrow the claim if the evidence does not reach that level.

- **“X% Less Plastic By Weight”** asserts a measured reduction against a defined baseline for a defined unit. You need baseline weight data, new-design weight data, a like-for-like comparison, per-unit normalization, and the calculation shown with inputs. The usual failure is a non-comparable baseline, a sales-volume decline mistaken for a per-unit reduction, or omitted components in the weight tally.
- **“Plastic-Free Packaging”** asserts absence of plastic across all components, polymer types, and particle sizes. It would require evidence of absence across all components, all polymer types, and all particle sizes, which no current laboratory method can supply. This wording fails structurally because detection methods can establish presence, not complete absence.
- **“Reduces Plastic Waste”** asserts an outcome about waste, not about material used. You need evidence linking the design change to waste reduction, including disposal pathway, recyclability in practice, and infrastructure availability where the product is sold. A frequent failure occurs when a reduction in plastic used is presented as a reduction in plastic waste, which are two different claims with different evidence needs.
- **“Contains X% Recycled Content”** asserts an input composition, meaning what the material is made from. You need supplier documentation, chain of custody, and a defined basis such as by weight, by component, and whether the content is pre- or post-consumer. A common failure occurs when recycled content is presented as automatically reducing plastic, or when a percentage stated for one component is read as applying to the whole package.

[Clarify which plastic claim your current evidence can truly support.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Setting A Defensible Baseline And Doing The Reduction Math

Once you know which evidence a claim requires, the next step is building the baseline that evidence rests on. A **like-for-like comparison** means the same product, the same functional unit, and the same components counted on both sides of the comparison. Switching from a 16 oz bottle to a 12 oz bottle and claiming a plastic reduction reflects a size change, not a like-for-like comparison.

**Per-unit normalization** is where many files fail. A 10% drop in total plastic purchased because sales fell 10% does not show a per-product reduction. The calculation must normalize to units sold or units produced. That approach keeps the result focused on what changed in the package instead of what changed in the order volume. This sales-volume trap is the most common arithmetic error in source reduction files.

The formula, stated plainly, is: *reduction percentage = (baseline weight per unit − new weight per unit) ÷ baseline weight per unit × 100*. For example, if the baseline package weighed 28 grams of plastic per unit and the new design weighs 24 grams, the reduction is (28 − 24) ÷ 28 × 100, which equals 14.3%. Both weights must cover the same components. The formula should appear in the file so a reviewer can reproduce it from the inputs.

Under [16 CFR 260.17 of the FTC Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-260/section-260.17), it is deceptive to misrepresent that a product or package has been reduced or is lower in weight, volume, or toxicity. Marketers should clearly and prominently qualify source reduction claims to avoid confusion about the amount of the reduction and the basis for any comparison. Under [§ 260.2(d)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-260), comparative environmental marketing claims should be clear, and marketers should have substantiation for the comparison, with the basis for comparison made clear where needed. Companies remain responsible for their own claims and should involve counsel in reviewing claim language.

## Component-Level Accounting For Plastic Reduction Claims

Component-level accounting often determines whether a plastic reduction claim holds up. A weight reduction in the primary container can be offset by a heavier closure, an added pump, or a new shrink sleeve. Count every component or the tally remains only partial.

Every component that contains plastic must appear in the weight tally on both sides of the comparison. That means:

- Primary container or bottle
- Closure and cap
- Pump and dip tube
- Label and sleeve
- Shrink wrap and secondary packaging
- Liner or seal

Closures and caps are frequently the largest omitted component. A [2018 study led by Sherri Mason at the State University of New York at Fredonia, published in *Frontiers in Chemistry*](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2018.00407/full), found that the most common polymer identified in bottled water samples was polypropylene, the material used in bottle caps. This finding points to the packaging itself, and specifically the closure, as a contamination route. A cap omitted from the weight tally becomes a gap that a reviewer, a buyer, or a litigator will find.

Build a component weight table before writing any percentage. The table forms the foundation of the file. The percentage is the result of that table.

[Learn how third-party verification strengthens plastic reduction claims.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/third-party-verification-plastic-reduction/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## The Evidentiary Ceiling For Plastic-Free Claims

Every substantiation file runs into an evidentiary ceiling that current science cannot cross. No laboratory today can confirm the complete absence of plastic across every particle size, polymer type, and production lot. Detection establishes presence and sets a floor for what the method can see. Proving that no plastic is present would require certainty about everything the method cannot see, including every particle below the detection floor, every polymer outside the tested panel, and every production lot that was not sampled.

![Fragments of plastic suspended in blue water below the surface.](https://cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co/1784829388732-c6255482b477.webp)**Plastic doesn't disappear — it fragments. These secondary microplastics are the breakdown products of everyday objects, and independent research now detects them across the water supply. Detection, though, establishes presence, not absence.**

The California State Water Board’s drinking-water microplastics framework defines microplastics down to 1 nanometer. The best validated methods available begin at 20 micrometers under Raman spectroscopy (SWB-MP2-rev1) or 50 micrometers under infrared spectroscopy (SWB-MP1-rev1). The 1–20 µm fraction is not validated under either method. Everything below 20 µm currently sits beyond reliable commercial measurement. California appears here as a technical reference point. It did not create, approve, authorize, or endorse any verification program.

![Colorful plastic fragments in water inside a laboratory petri dish.](https://cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co/1784829410323-fb401fc7b1e4.webp)**Microplastics are particles smaller than five millimeters. Current methods can count and identify them at the upper end of that range, but reliable measurement falls away as particles get smaller — a limit that shapes every honest claim.**

A 2026 review by Nour Alnairat et al. in [Frontiers in Materials](https://frontiersin.org/journals/materials/articles/10.3389/fmats.2026.1950397/full) confirmed that no single analytical method covers all particle sizes, polymer types, morphologies, matrices, and concentrations. Robust workflows require complementary methods, contamination controls, recovery testing, and explicit validated scope. A 2026 systematic review in [Archives of Toxicology](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-026-04392-1) further found that a laboratory result is bounded by the size window, particle classes, and operational definition used. A non-detect result therefore cannot automatically mean that no plastic exists outside that method’s validated range.

The practical consequence is direct. “Plastic-free” claims are structurally indefensible as written, while “X% less plastic by weight” claims are provable when the file is complete. The defensible move is to narrow the claim to what the file supports.

[Have The Wellness Quality Institute assess whether your evidence supports a plastic reduction claim.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## The Substantiation File: Seven Fields You Need Filled

A complete substantiation file contains seven fields. A file missing any of them is incomplete.

1. **Exact claim wording** describes the sentence as it will appear on pack or in market.
2. **Scope** covers the product, SKU, market, and period the claim includes.
3. **Baseline** records the comparison design, data source, and date.
4. **New design** lists component weights and materials for the current version.
5. **Calculation** shows the formula, inputs, and result so a reviewer can reproduce it.
6. **Verification** records who reviewed the file, against what criteria, and when.
7. **Limitations** explains what the evidence does not cover, including untested components, particle sizes, polymer types, and lots.

Field 7 is the one most files omit and the one a buyer or litigator will look for first.

## US Regulatory Anchors For Plastic Reduction Claim Substantiation

Several regulatory anchors shape how plastic reduction and recycled-content claims must be substantiated in the United States. These anchors sit alongside any independent verification program.

**Federal Trade Commission Green Guides, [16 CFR Part 260](https://ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-260/section-260.13)** serve as the primary US reference for environmental marketing claims. Section 260.13 addresses recycled content claims and requires that recycled content be composed of materials recovered from the waste stream, whether pre- or post-consumer. It also requires that recycled content claims for partially recycled products be clearly and prominently qualified to avoid confusion about the amount or percentage, by weight, of recycled content, and it requires substantiation for any express or implied percentage claim. For source reduction claims, the Green Guides require that comparative wording rest on a comparable basis. Companies remain responsible for their own claims and should involve counsel.

**CalRecycle truth-in-labeling** under California’s SB 343 restricts use of the chasing-arrows symbol and recyclability statements on packaging unless specific statutory criteria are met, including collection and sortation thresholds and design requirements. As of July 2026, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of SB 343 pending further proceedings. Legal risk for recyclability claims in California still persists under the Federal Trade Commission Green Guides and state consumer protection statutes. Recyclability claims follow a separate evidentiary track from reduction claims and should remain distinct.

**EU contrast** matters for US brands selling into Europe. The EU Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo, [Directive (EU) 2024/825](https://agrinfo.eu/book-of-reports/eu-rules-on-environmental-claims-for-products)), which applies from 27 September 2026, prohibits generic environmental claims that cannot be demonstrated and requires that claims accurately reflect the scope of the benefit communicated. The EU regime is stricter than the current US baseline in several respects, including its prohibition on sustainability labels not based on a certification scheme or established by public authorities. US brands selling into Europe face this regime in addition to Federal Trade Commission requirements, which creates two separate evidentiary tracks that each require substantiation.

## When To Bring In Independent Review And How The Wellness Quality Institute Helps

Independent review turns a self-graded file into a defensible one. A company that publishes its own calculation without outside review is effectively grading its own homework, and the market often reads that as marketing regardless of how rigorous the work was.

The Wellness Quality Institute (WQI) is an independent verification body that reviews a company’s existing third-party laboratory data on plastic and microplastic content against a defined standard. This process helps brands substantiate real progress toward plastic-free standards instead of promising impossible zero-plastic claims. WQI’s core program is **Plastic-Free Pathway Verification (PFPV)**, governed by the standard **WQI-CS-01**.

![Scientists in white coats working with samples and microscopes in a laboratory.](https://cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co/1784829434095-0fc8fbcf29fa.webp)**Only a small number of laboratories can genuinely test for microplastics, and capability varies by instrument and method. WQI reviews a company's existing third-party laboratory data against a defined standard — it does not run the tests itself.**

Several features of WQI’s program matter for brands planning claims:

- **WQI does not run laboratory tests.** It reviews the dataset, method, product scope, and supporting controls. Independent laboratory testing is arranged and billed separately by a qualified independent laboratory. That separation keeps the review independent.
- **Criteria are aligned with the California State Water Board’s drinking-water microplastics reference framework**, which is the most stringent public reference reasonably applicable to testing today. California serves as a technical reference point, not a geographic boundary, and verification is available to US companies nationally. California did not create, approve, authorize, or endorse WQI.
- **Two outcomes** are possible. *Standard Met* yields a verification decision, a scope-locked license to use the WQI logo, a public registry listing, and approved claim language. *Standard Not Met* remains a private outcome that is never described as a failed product and can be resubmitted with updated information.
- **Verification is scope-locked** to the reviewed product, dataset, tested particle-size range, polymer panel, and production period. A company-wide or product-line claim cannot be extended from a single dataset.
- **A single assessment fee** covers review, verification decision, and registry listing, with no separate mark-license or registry fee. Payment does not guarantee a verification decision.
- **WQI serves US companies only.**

[See how lab data becomes a defensible plastic-free claim.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/standard-evaluating-plastic-reduction-claims/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

*WQI Plastic-Free Pathway Verification does not certify that a product contains zero plastic, microplastics, or nanoplastics. It shows that the company is on a verified pathway toward plastic-free standards. Verification applies only to the reviewed products, submitted datasets, tested ranges, polymer panels, production or sampling periods, and supporting controls. WQI verification is not a California approval, government certification, or health or safety certification.*

[Work with The Wellness Quality Institute to turn your lab data into a defensible claim.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does A Lab Report Saying “No Microplastics Detected” Substantiate A Plastic-Free Claim?

A “none detected” result is bounded entirely by the method’s detection floor, the polymer panel screened, and the production lot tested. It means no target polymers were found above the instrument’s reporting limit, using that specific method, on that specific sample. It does not mean no plastic is present. A method that begins at 50 micrometers cannot see anything smaller, so “none detected” can coexist with particles present below that size. A lab report forms the starting point for a substantiation file rather than the conclusion.

### Can Recycled Content Be Counted As Plastic Reduction?

Recycled content can support a plastic reduction story only with careful framing, and the two claims should remain distinct. Recycled content is an input-composition claim that describes what the material is made from. Source reduction is a claim about how much material is used per unit. Replacing virgin plastic with recycled plastic may reduce virgin-material demand but does not necessarily reduce total plastic mass per unit. Under the FTC Green Guides, a recycled content claim requires supplier documentation, chain of custody, and a clearly defined basis by weight and by component. Presenting recycled content as automatically constituting a plastic reduction is a typical failure mode that a substantiation file must avoid.

### What Makes A Baseline Defensible?

A defensible baseline is like-for-like, per-unit, component-complete, and dated. Like-for-like means the same product, the same functional unit, and the same components counted on both sides. Per-unit means normalized to units sold or produced instead of total purchases, so that a sales-volume change does not masquerade as a package-design change. Component-complete means every plastic-containing component appears in the tally, including primary container, closure, pump, label, sleeve, and secondary packaging. Dated means traceable to a specific document from a specific point in time that a reviewer can examine. A baseline that fails any of these four tests does not qualify as defensible.

### How Long Does Substantiation Last Before It Needs Refreshing?

Substantiation ties directly to the production period and the lot from which data was drawn. A result reflects the production it came from, not future production. Packaging specifications change, suppliers change, and lot-to-lot variability is real. The Wellness Quality Institute’s Plastic-Free Pathway Verification runs for 24 months from the sampling date of the most recent accepted dataset. Continued claim use after that period requires re-verification using current data. The same logic applies to any substantiation file. If the package design, materials, or suppliers have changed since the baseline was established, the file needs to be updated before the claim is renewed.

### Is A Plastic-Free Packaging Claim Possible In The US?

An absolute plastic-free packaging claim is not supportable under current analytical limits. As noted earlier, detection can establish presence but not absence, which prevents support for an absolute plastic-free claim. The defensible alternative is to narrow the claim to what the evidence supports, such as “X% less plastic by weight versus our previous package,” and to have the file supporting that narrower claim independently reviewed before publication. The Wellness Quality Institute’s Plastic-Free Pathway Verification exists to verify real progress toward plastic-free standards rather than to certify a zero-plastic state.

### Does Independent Review Replace Legal Review?

Independent review and legal review play different roles in a complete substantiation process. Companies remain responsible for ensuring all product, packaging, and marketing claims are accurate and properly substantiated under applicable law. The Wellness Quality Institute’s Plastic-Free Pathway Verification is an independent review of a dataset against a defined standard. It is not legal, regulatory, or advertising-claims counsel and does not replace those services.

### Is Verification Available Outside The US?

Verification under the Wellness Quality Institute’s current program is available to US companies only. Companies based outside the United States fall outside the program’s scope.

[Talk to The Wellness Quality Institute about Plastic-Free Pathway Verification.](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## What to Read Next

- [How to Substantiate Plastic Reduction Claims](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-requirements/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [How To Substantiate Plastic Reduction Claims Step by Step](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/how-to-substantiate-plastic-claims/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [How To Substantiate a Plastic Reduction Claim](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/substantiate-plastic-reduction-claims/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [Plastic Claim Substantiation: The Evidence Checklist](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/plastic-claim-substantiation-checklist/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [How To Verify Defensible Plastic Reduction Claims: US Brands](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/defensible-plastic-reduction-claims-verification/?utm_term=plastic-reduction-claim-substantiation-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

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    - **Name:** Does A Lab Report Saying “No Microplastics Detected” Substantiate A Plastic-Free Claim?
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      - **Text:** A “none detected” result is bounded entirely by the method’s detection floor, the polymer panel screened, and the production lot tested. It means no target polymers were found above the instrument’s reporting limit, using that specific method, on that specific sample. It does not mean no plastic is present. A method that begins at 50 micrometers cannot see anything smaller, so “none detected” can coexist with particles present below that size. A lab report forms the starting point for a substantiation file rather than the conclusion.
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    - **Name:** Can Recycled Content Be Counted As Plastic Reduction?
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      - **Text:** Recycled content can support a plastic reduction story only with careful framing, and the two claims should remain distinct. Recycled content is an input-composition claim that describes what the material is made from. Source reduction is a claim about how much material is used per unit. Replacing virgin plastic with recycled plastic may reduce virgin-material demand but does not necessarily reduce total plastic mass per unit. Under the FTC Green Guides, a recycled content claim requires supplier documentation, chain of custody, and a clearly defined basis by weight and by component. Presenting recycled content as automatically constituting a plastic reduction is a typical failure mode that a substantiation file must avoid.
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    - **Name:** What Makes A Baseline Defensible?
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      - **Text:** A defensible baseline is like-for-like, per-unit, component-complete, and dated. Like-for-like means the same product, the same functional unit, and the same components counted on both sides. Per-unit means normalized to units sold or produced instead of total purchases, so that a sales-volume change does not masquerade as a package-design change. Component-complete means every plastic-containing component appears in the tally, including primary container, closure, pump, label, sleeve, and secondary packaging. Dated means traceable to a specific document from a specific point in time that a reviewer can examine. A baseline that fails any of these four tests does not qualify as defensible.
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    - **Name:** How Long Does Substantiation Last Before It Needs Refreshing?
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      - **Text:** Substantiation ties directly to the production period and the lot from which data was drawn. A result reflects the production it came from, not future production. Packaging specifications change, suppliers change, and lot-to-lot variability is real. The Wellness Quality Institute’s Plastic-Free Pathway Verification runs for 24 months from the sampling date of the most recent accepted dataset. Continued claim use after that period requires re-verification using current data. The same logic applies to any substantiation file. If the package design, materials, or suppliers have changed since the baseline was established, the file needs to be updated before the claim is renewed.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** Is A Plastic-Free Packaging Claim Possible In The US?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** An absolute plastic-free packaging claim is not supportable under current analytical limits. As noted earlier, detection can establish presence but not absence, which prevents support for an absolute plastic-free claim. The defensible alternative is to narrow the claim to what the evidence supports, such as “X% less plastic by weight versus our previous package,” and to have the file supporting that narrower claim independently reviewed before publication. The Wellness Quality Institute’s Plastic-Free Pathway Verification exists to verify real progress toward plastic-free standards rather than to certify a zero-plastic state.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** Does Independent Review Replace Legal Review?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** Independent review and legal review play different roles in a complete substantiation process. Companies remain responsible for ensuring all product, packaging, and marketing claims are accurate and properly substantiated under applicable law. The Wellness Quality Institute’s Plastic-Free Pathway Verification is an independent review of a dataset against a defined standard. It is not legal, regulatory, or advertising-claims counsel and does not replace those services.
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      - **Text:** Verification under the Wellness Quality Institute’s current program is available to US companies only. Companies based outside the United States fall outside the program’s scope.

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  - **Headline:** How to Substantiate Plastic Reduction Claims
  - **Description:** Make defensible plastic reduction claims. The Wellness Quality Institute builds the evidence file regulators and retailers expect. Get verified.
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---

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## Citations

- [Plastic Claim Substantiation: Evidence Before You Claim](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/plastic-claim-substantiation-evidence-requirements)
- [How To Make Plastic Reduction Claims That Hold Up](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/substantiate-clean-label-plastic-reduction)
- [Plastic Claim Substantiation: A US Compliance Guide](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/plastic-claim-substantiation-compliance-guide)
- [Microplastics Verification Standards: A Complete Guide](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/microplastics-verification-standards-guide)
- [What Microplastic Test Results Actually Mean](https://www.wellnessqualityinstitute.com/articles/what-microplastic-testing-actually-proves)

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