TCATA Organizes Coalition on Microfiber Issue

(May, 2019) TCATA recently hosted a call with several laundry manufacturers, chemical manufacturers and other associations for the purpose of organizing a coalition to respond to a recent bill in California that would require filtration systems in industrial and commercial laundries to capture microfibers that are shed during washing. Thanks to the work of TRSA and others, this bill has been withdrawn for now, but is likely to be re-introduced in the next year or so.
 
California Bill AB 129 would have required a public entity that uses a laundry system, and a private entity that contracts with a state agency for laundry services, to install a filtration system by January 2020; private entities that use a laundry system would have had until January 2021. The coalition members agreed that significant research must go into studying this complex issue before legislative solutions should be offered, research that has not yet been done. As such, coalition members will forward relevant materials to the two organizations in California that are conducting more research and will encourage legislators to understand the complexity of this issue before moving forward on a bill.

During the call, discussion was held about the role of textile manufacturers and others in the supply chain on this issue. Representatives from the American Home Appliance Manufacturers Association noted that a day long meeting on this issue will be held in California in the coming weeks and invited those interested to participate in that meeting. The coalition will meet as needed, and TCATA will keep all members informed on this important issue. 

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