TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci recently submitted comments on the importance of reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) as part of the committee’s request for information on policies that the committee should consider during the reauthorization process for the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA). The act is due to be reauthorized before the end of this fiscal year.

TRSA recently finalized the agenda for its California Regional Town Hall scheduled for May 2 in Anaheim. For added value, the Town Hall will be held in conjunction with the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo and Pacific Southwest NAFA Fleet Management Association Chapter events that will take place in Anaheim from May 1-4.

While laundry operators in the U.S. have long pursued outreach efforts with local or county jail authorities to access inmate labor, the association representing linen, uniform and facility services operators in Great Britain recently has taken this idea a step further with a national initiative that they’ve dubbed, “Giving People a Second Chance.”

TRSA concluded its 13th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, on March 23 with its annual Hill Day, which included a total of 93 face-to-face meetings with federal legislators and key staff members.

The 13th Annual Legislative Conference concluded its opening day with the Annual Industry Awards dinner to spotlight the best of the linen, uniform and facility services industry in several categories, including Plant of the Year, Above & Beyond Service, Company Community Service, Safety Excellence and more.

David Stevens, CEO of the United Kingdom’s (UK) Textile Services Association (TSA) said the economic challenges confronting commercial launderers in Great Britain are equal to if not more critical than those facing operators in North America. Nonetheless, he sees the situation as likely to stabilize in the near term.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Members Reps. Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) recently released a Request for Information (RFI) in preparation of the upcoming Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) reauthorization due by Sept. 30. After shortages in supply at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, TRSA has led the effort to make reusable isolation gowns and other textiles more prominent in hospital inventories under PAHPA and provided the committee with information supporting this position.

The Wisconsin Association of Textile Services (WATS), along with TRSA, recently conducted a Wisconsin Legislative Conference to build support for legislation that would allow the linen, uniform and facility services industry to be recognized as a recycler and manufacturer.  During the Capitol visits, the delegation met with targeted Wisconsin state legislators such as Sens. Devin Lemahieu and Rob Hutton, and Reps. David Murray and Dave Maxey.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced its proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for six varieties of PFAS, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX Chemicals), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS). The proposed PFAS NPDWR does not require any actions until it is finalized, possibly later this year.

Highlights of the March 22 Awards Dinner at TRSA’s Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, will include the presentation of the newest accolades in the annual TRSA Industry Awards series. These will honor one member company for exemplary plant operations and eight for their extensive participation in the association.