On Sept. 28, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed into law SB 707, The Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, establishing the first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program in the U.S. for textiles. TRSA successfully lobbied for an amendment to this legislation that excludes the rental side of the linen, uniform and facility services industry.

This EPR legislation aims to promote environmental sustainability by reducing textile waste in landfills and incentivizing upcycling and recycling. This groundbreaking legislation requires that manufacturers and distributors of apparel and certain textile products join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), making them accountable for the entire life cycle of products, from raw materials to end of life. Producers will incur fees based on their sales volume and the cost of managing products. Producers must join the PRO by July 1, 2026, and participate in the PRO’s product-stewardship plan by July 1, 2030.

As a result of efforts with the bill’s author and sponsors, and our California legislative counsel, TRSA drafted and successfully advocated to include an amendment that excludes the rental portion of our industry from this legislation.

As outlined in a Letter of Concern that TRSA submitted to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, commercial laundry processors are environmental stewards that use highly efficient, water- and energy-saving technology to maintain, reprocess and recycle reusable textiles. The linen, uniform and facility services industry supports the goals of SB 707 to reduce waste and promote a circular textile supply chain. Our amendment ensures that laundry processors engaged in rental operations will not be required to participate in a PRO.

Additional details of this legislation to note include that personal protective equipment (PPE) is not included. Furthermore, the fees owed by covered entities will be “eco-modulated,” meaning the cost structure considers sustainable practices. Products with lower environmental impacts, such as those designed for a longer life and repurposed and recycled at the end of life, will incur lower fees. Thus, this fee structure is advantageous for linen, uniform and facility services entities that are still covered in this legislation, as our industry promotes sustainability and provides for a circular textile economy.

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