Three US industry organisations are urging the US Senate to extend the Responsible Textile Recovery Act (SB707) by two years because they believe it will have an impact on any future textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation in the country.
In a letter to Assemblywoman Luz M. Rivas, the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), Accelerating Circularity Inc., and American Circular Textiles stated that they had a “vested interest” in SB707’s success and that it was essential that it achieve its goals as the first-ever national EPR programme.
The organisations are requesting a two-year bill, arguing that the extra time would allow all stakeholders to learn from both the ongoing European Union efforts to establish a textiles Extended Producer Responsibility programme as well as California’s own pilot textiles Extended Producer Responsibility programme, which was passed last year.
According to the letter, carefully crafted extended producer responsibility (EPR) programmes can be instrumental in directing funding towards infrastructure for reuse, repair, and recycling and supporting their respective markets, all while encouraging the prioritisation of product stewardship during the design and manufacture of new products.
The organisations argue that there remain questions and concerns over how the scope and mechanics of SB 707 can truly support circularity efforts.
