Governor Gavin Newsom signed this bill into law in 2024. It establishes the first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) recycling program aimed to address textile waste in the US. Companies who sell only secondhand covered products in California or have less than $1 million in aggregate annual sales in the state are exempt from complying with the Act.
Key Aspects
Prohibits producers from selling, offering for sale, importing or distributing apparel or textiles in or into the state, unless they are a participant of a producer responsibility organization (PRO), the department has approved the plan and other criteria are met.
Requires producers of apparel or textiles to form and register with a PRO, which must be approved by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. The department will need to adopt regulations to start the program no earlier than January 1, 2028.
On February 27, 2026, CalRecycle approved Landbell USA as the PRO responsible for program implementation. Landbell USA will develop and manage a comprehensive stewardship plan including system design, performance targets, reporting and funding mechanisms.
Requires the PRO to submit a complete plan to the department for the collection, transportation, repair, sorting, recycling and the safe and proper management of apparel and textile articles in the state. It must also address PFAS and other chemicals banned in California in the recycling process.
Requires the PRO to update a needs assessment every five years and submit an annual report to CalRecycle.
Imposes penalties of up to $10,000 a day, or up to $50,000 per day if the violation is intentional or knowing. Penalties also apply to those that fail to register.
Latest Update
The Act entered its first implementation phase, with a statutory deadline requiring textile producers to register with the state-approved PRO by July 1, 2026.
Source(s)
