Latest news with #SB707
Fibre2Fashion
21-07-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
California retailers, AAFA & NRF to launch US' first textile PRO
The California Retailers Association, the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), and the National Retail Federation (NRF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly establish an independent Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO). This new body will lead efforts to divert apparel and textiles from landfills by collecting, repairing, reusing, and recycling post-consumer materials. The initiative aligns with California's pioneering Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law for textiles—the first of its kind in the US. California Retailers Association, AAFA and NRF have signed an MoU to establish a producer-led PRO under California's SB 707, the US' first EPR law for textiles. The PRO will manage end-of-life textile responsibility through collection, repair, reuse, and recycling. It aims to unite stakeholders across the value chain, meet legal requirements, and begin operations in early 2026 following state approval. Signed into law in 2024, California's SB 707 requires producers and importers of textiles to take responsibility for the end-of-life management by joining and funding PRO. It will develop and implement a plan to meet the requirements of the law, including the collection, transportation, repair, recycling and the safe and proper management of covered products, they said in a joint press statement. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery must approve a PRO by March 1, 2026, following a January 1, 2026, PRO application deadline. The initiative aims to establish an independent, producer-led PRO to represent and ensure compliance of all producers of apparel and textile articles covered under SB 707. It will foster collaboration across the textile value chain by actively engaging manufacturers, brands, retailers, collectors, sorters, recyclers, repair businesses, and other key stakeholders to drive innovation and maximise the programme's impact. The PRO will also be responsible for developing and implementing an effective stewardship programme that fulfils all legal requirements while strengthening infrastructure for the collection, repair, reuse, and recycling of textiles. 'California's groundbreaking SB 707 positions our state as a national leader in responsible textile management. The California Retailers Association is proud to set the standard for innovation and collaboration in environmental sustainability. We are dedicated to guiding the implementation of this transformative law and to establishing a PRO that unites and empowers the wide array of producers selling textiles in California. Our commitment is to deliver real impact for our communities, our environment, and the future of retail in California,' said Rachel Michelin, president, California Retailers Association . 'This partnership signals our industry's commitment to collaborate in support of a circular transition. By bringing together diverse stakeholders from across our industry supply chain, we are launching an inclusive organisation that is right for the California market and regulatory environment, establishing California as the standard for similar approaches nationwide,' said Steve Lamar, president and CEO, AAFA . 'Our associations have a shared commitment to ensuring the success of SB 707. Collectively, our members bring significant experience in PRO-building, EPR compliance and implementation to this effort. We look forward to working together to establish an organisation that supports the entire producer community to meet the immediate needs in California and potential future needs if other states adopt similar approaches,' said Stephanie Martz, chief administrative officer and legal counsel, NRF . The associations have begun the process of forming an independent 501(c)(3) PRO to meet all requirements under SB 707 and prepare for the application process. The PRO is expected to be operational in early 2026, with the initial focus on registering producers by July 1, 2026. Additionally, it will conduct an initial statewide needs assessment to determine the necessary steps and investment needed to fulfil the law's requirements and inform the program budget and plan. The PRO will prioritise early outreach to producers and will engage with interested parties to lay the groundwork for implementation, added the statement. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
California Revising Plastic Packaging EPR Regulations
California's government is retooling its extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulatory bill surrounding the recycling of plastic packaging. SB 54, also known as the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, is now being revamped by California's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. An arm of the California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), CalRecycle, as it's informally known, released a revised draft of the regulations last week. Now, stakeholders have until June 3 to submit feedback on the proposal. More from Sourcing Journal California Law Enforcement and DAs Take On Retail, Cargo Thieves Will Trump Tariffs Help or Hurt U.S. Garment Workers? Teamsters Ask CA Legislators to Back Bill Requiring Human Operators for Autonomous Delivery Vehicles The EPR bill, which establishes a program to manage packaging and single-use plastic food containers across numerous sectors of California's economy, bestows primary responsibility for the packaging products' end-of-life on their producers. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law in 2022, mandating that by 2032, all single-use plastics in the state must be recyclable or compostable, and the overall use of these materials be reduced by 25 percent. By the end of that period, 65 percent of single-use plastic packaging should be recycled, the law states. But the law's facilitators—CalRecycle—failed to meet a March 8 deadline for delivering the regulations tied to the law. Newsom requested that the regulations process for SB 54 be restarted, which is where the process stands today. California officials have said that that the timeline for implementing the law will not be impacted by the delay. SB 54 is not California's first EPR bill—the state has implemented such programs for batteries and mattresses—and its provisions informed much of the text of SB 707, the Responsible Textile Recovery Act, which mandates that producers of apparel, accessories and home textiles deal with the end-of-life impacts of the products they produce through recycling, reuse and repair. SB 707 was signed into law by the governor last year, and faces a similar regulatory process in the months and years ahead. But many in the business community are skeptical about what the EPR bills will mean for California's businesses, many of which are not accustomed to the burden of these responsibilities or equipped to comply with the new laws. The halting progress in the regulation and rollout of SB 54 could be a harbinger of what's to come for the textile-focused EPR, as both programs focus on sectors with broad impacts and seek to regulate a wide range of products made from different materials. California Retailers Association (CRA) president Rachel Michelin said the trade group is still reviewing the updated draft regulations, but reiterated its 'support and appreciation for Governor Gavin Newsom's consideration of the impact on affordability that these regulations will have on everyday consumers, especially given the ongoing uncertainty with the Trump Administration's tariffs.' She also thanked CalRecycle for its collaboration with retail stakeholders, which will continue through upcoming public hearings. An informal rulemaking workshop will take place on May 27 at California EPA headquarters in Sacramento, followed by a May 30 advisory board meeting and a June 23 workshop on covered materials and reporting guidance. Michelin said the CRA is 'committed to ensure California's landmark Packaging EPR program regulations are successfully implemented, achieving California's ambitious recycling objectives while avoiding undue financial burdens on consumers.' 'CRA members are committed to the environmental goals of SB 54 and appreciate the time taken to craft a collaborative and effective regulatory framework,' she added. 'This demonstrates California's leadership in addressing plastic pollution and advancing sustainable recycling practices.' While several states are seeking to tackle plastic and textile waste, especially in the wake of California's landmark legislative progress, tariffs and economic uncertainty are on the minds of many decision-makers. Some sustainability commitments are falling by the wayside as fiscal pressures mount; last week, PepsiCo last week abandoned its commitment to shareholders for 20 percent of all beverage servings to be delivered in reusable or refillable packaging. It also pulled back on commitments to reduce its use of virgin plastic.
