Unified Standards for Retailers
With over 400 bag bans in the United States with dozens of variations, retailers can rely on unified standards that meet their needs as well as governmental and environmental requirements. More important, your customers like using them (graphic below). Retailers can reduce waste, labor, and lower overall costs with USC (Unified Standards Certification).
Retailer reusable bag requirements
1. Minimum capacity: 15 liters (17 liters recommended).
2. Reusability criteria: Can carry 22 lbs. 175 feet, 125 times.
3. Handles and usability: A) Sized correctly to avoid entanglement by marine and wildlife, no long loop handles; B) Handles (die cut, sewn, etc.) positioned above bag body to enable them to meet in the middle in order to carry a fully loaded bag (otherwise it restricts usable bag capacity).
4. Bag thickness: ASTM D6988 verifies film thickness is greater than .00225+, .003+, and .004+ mils as legally required.
5. Recyclable: Bags require available local recycling. #2 HDPE and #4 LDPE polyethylene is universally accepted. FTC requires verification of local recycling on all other materials.
6. Non-toxicity: No bag material, pigment, ink, or labels shall contain heavy metal (lead, cadmium, etc.) or other toxins on the federal TRI or California DTSC lists.
7. Child labor and unfair labor protection: Bag manufacturer shall supply an affidavit declaring its plants meet the SB657 labor law required by the state of California and most national chains.
8. Minimum charge: Depending on bag thickness: $.10 to $.20 each.
9. Legal notice: Includes: A) responsible party; (ie. bag manufacturer); B) strength and performance standards as applicable in the bag ban laws; C) consumer support webpage; D) a recycling logo; E) optional country of origin, and; F) optional USC logo.

Download USC Standards for Retailers
 

USC certified bag
USC certified bags Non-USC bags
Meet 98% of 400+ state/municipal laws: Yes Some yes, most no
Meet FTC green washing guidelines: Yes Some yes, some no
Meet environmental issues & concerns Yes – local recycling, reduce marine/wildlife entanglement Few recyclers accept woven bags; loop handles entangle wildlife
Meet retailer preferences: Yes – bags stand up,
easy to load, affordable		 Not considered
Meet consumer preferences: Yes – convenient to use,
inexpensive to purchase		 Not considered

Why stores and shoppers like USC bags