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The chasing arrows symbol — officially known as the Möbius loop — dates back to 1970. It was designed by Gary Anderson, a 23-year-old graphic design student at the University of Southern California. Anderson created the entry for a national contest sponsored by the Container Corporation of America to mark the first Earth Day.

The three arrows form a continuous loop inspired by the mathematical Möbius strip. This design was chosen from hundreds of submissions to represent the ideal cycle of collecting, processing, and reusing materials. The symbol entered the public domain and quickly became the universal icon for recycling worldwide.

In 1988, the Society of the Plastics Industry (now the Plastics Industry Association) added numbers 1 through 7 inside the arrows. These Resin Identification Codes (RICs) helped sorting facilities identify plastic types such as PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) used in injection blow molded containers.

For decades, the chasing arrows appeared on packaging regardless of actual recyclability in local programs. This led to widespread consumer confusion and “wishcycling” — placing non-recyclable items in blue bins — which increases contamination and raises costs for recycling programs.

California addressed this issue directly with Senate Bill 343 (SB 343), formally titled “Environmental advertising: recycling symbol: recyclability: products and packaging.” The bill, authored by Senator Ben Allen, was signed into law in 2021 (Chapter 507, Statutes of 2021) and is codified primarily in California Public Resources Code sections 42355 through 42357, with the core prohibitions and definitions in § 42355.51.

The statute prohibits any person from offering for sale, selling, distributing, or importing into California any product or packaging for which a deceptive or misleading claim about recyclability is made. This includes the chasing arrows symbol, any other symbol indicating recyclability, or any statement directing consumers to recycle — unless the product or packaging is considered “recyclable in the state” under the specific, data-driven criteria established by the law.

SB 343 builds on existing truth-in-environmental-advertising laws by requiring objective evidence from statewide recycling infrastructure. It directs the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to conduct and publish a Material Characterization Study of what materials and forms are actually collected, sorted, and processed for recycling across the state.

Key Timeline from the Statute:

• CalRecycle published the Final Findings Report of the Material Characterization Study on April 4, 2025.
• An update to Table 2 of the report was issued on December 22, 2025.
• Labeling restrictions apply to all plastic packaging manufactured on or after October 4, 2026 (exactly 18 months after the Final Findings Report).
• Products and packaging manufactured before October 4, 2026, are grandfathered and not subject to the new restrictions, regardless of when they are sold.
• CalRecycle must update the study every five years starting in 2027, with new 18-month compliance windows after each update.

The law places the responsibility on manufacturers, distributors, and importers to self-assess compliance and maintain records supporting their recyclability claims. CalRecycle does not pre-approve individual labels or packages.

Under Public Resources Code § 42355.51, a product or package may display the chasing arrows or any recyclability claim only if it satisfies the statutory criteria based on CalRecycle’s Material Characterization Study data. The law requires that the material must be both widely collected and sorted at scale, plus meet design and composition standards.

An alternative pathway exists: a demonstrated statewide recycling rate of at least 75% may qualify the material regardless of the 60% thresholds.

CalRecycle’s Final Findings Report (published April 4, 2025) and the December 2025 Table 2 update provide the official data manufacturers must reference.

At Hammonton Mold, we specialize in precision injection blow molds for PET, HDPE, PP, and other resins used in pharmaceutical, personal care, and consumer bottles. Many of these containers traditionally carried the #1 or #2 chasing arrows symbol.

Key implications include:

• Clear, natural, and pigmented PET and HDPE bottles, jars, and tubs that meet the 60% thresholds may continue using chasing arrows if all other criteria are satisfied.
• Materials or forms not listed in CalRecycle’s approved categories must remove the chasing arrows and may instead use the solid equilateral triangle (per ASTM D7611/D7611M-20) for resin identification only.
• Packaging designers must now consider end-market realities during the mold development stage to avoid future redesigns.

ASTM D7611/D7611M-20: The Official Standard for Resin Identification Codes
ASTM International’s D7611/D7611M-20, titled “Standard Practice for Coding Plastic Manufactured Articles for Resin Identification,” is the current authoritative standard governing Resin Identification Codes (RICs). It specifies the exact types, names, and sizes of codes for the seven main plastic resins (PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS, and Other).

The standard defines a Resin Identification Code (RIC) as a molded, imprinted, or raised symbol that consists of an equilateral triangle, a Resin Identification Number, and an Abbreviated Term for the polymeric material. The code must be clear and legible and is typically at least ½ inch (12 mm) in height and width.

Crucially, Section 4.2 of the standard states: “Resin Identification Codes are not ‘recycle codes.’” The use of a Resin Identification Code on a manufactured plastic article does not imply that the article is recycled or that there are systems in place to effectively process the article for reclamation or re-use. The code serves solely to identify the plastic resin used in a manufactured article and must never be accompanied by terms such as “recyclable” or any environmental claims that could mislead consumers.

The 2013 revision to the standard deliberately replaced the chasing arrows (Möbius loop) design with a solid equilateral triangle to eliminate confusion and clearly separate resin identification from any recycling message. This modernization directly supports compliance with SB 343 by providing manufacturers with a non-misleading alternative symbol.

The standard applies primarily to new tooling. However, existing molds that already incorporate older versions of the SPI RIC may be modified, though modification is not required. This flexibility makes mold updates an efficient compliance solution for injection blow molded bottles and caps.

Don’t let outdated engravings on your current molds create compliance issues or force you to invest in entirely new tooling. Hammonton Mold offers fast, cost-effective solutions to bring your existing bottle and cap molds up to date with the latest recycling logo requirements.

Our New Jersey facility is fully equipped with advanced in-house capabilities including:

• Micro welding to precisely remove the old chasing arrows engraving from mold surfaces
• LASER engraving to apply the new compliant recycling logo (ASTM solid triangle RIC per D7611/D7611M-20)

Whether you need to eliminate the chasing arrows entirely or switch to compliant resin identification only, our team can complete this update in a fraction of the time and cost of building replacement components.

Request a Mold Update Quote Today

SB 343 places the compliance burden on manufacturers. With the October 4, 2026 deadline approaching for newly manufactured packaging, here are the practical steps required by the statute:

1. Review CalRecycle Data — Cross-reference your exact material type and form (e.g., clear PET bottle, pigmented HDPE jar) against the Final Findings Report and the latest Table 2 update to confirm it meets the 60% collection and sorting thresholds.
2. Assess Design Compatibility — Verify that your packaging (including labels, inks, adhesives, and any components) complies with the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) Design® Guide and contains no restricted substances.
3. Choose the Correct Symbol per ASTM D7611/D7611M-20 — Use the solid equilateral triangle RIC (not chasing arrows) for resin identification on any packaging that does not qualify for recyclability claims. The standard prohibits placing any recyclability language near the code.
4. Document Everything — Maintain records showing how your packaging meets each statutory criterion. These records may be requested in the event of an enforcement action.
5. Update Molds and Tooling — Remove or replace chasing arrows engravings on existing molds with the ASTM solid triangle RIC where needed. This is the fastest and most economical way to stay compliant.
6. Train Teams and Update Contracts — Ensure your design, production, and quality teams understand the new rules, and update supplier specifications accordingly.

Acting now prevents production delays, costly recalls, or enforcement actions once the statute takes full effect for new manufacturing.

1. Review the latest CalRecycle Material Characterization Study findings to confirm your material type and form qualifies.
2. Document design features that support recyclability (e.g., detachable components, compatible inks and labels).
3. Consult legal and sustainability experts for your specific product line — CalRecycle does not pre-approve individual packages.
4. Work with your mold maker early in the design phase to incorporate compliant labeling options.