2SHB 1420
In CommitteeHouse
Textile producers
Establishing producer responsibility for textiles.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill creates a producer-funded program requiring apparel and textile producers to manage the full lifecycle of their products after consumer use, with a focus on reuse, repair, and recycling. Producers must register, fund and operate collection and processing systems, and report annually—while retailers and online marketplaces must ensure only compliant products are sold. The program aims to reduce landfill waste, hazardous materials, and greenhouse gas emissions while supporting local infrastructure and environmental justice.
- Establishes a statewide Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for apparel and textile products, requiring producers to manage the full lifecycle of their products—including collection, sorting, repair, reuse, and recycling.
- Requires producers to register with the Department of Ecology by January 1, 2027, either by joining an approved Producer Responsibility Organization or operating their own program.
- Mandates a comprehensive needs assessment (due March 1, 2028) and a detailed plan (due January 1, 2029) that includes a five-year budget, performance standards, collection infrastructure (minimum sites per county), and an eco-modulated fee structure to incentivize reuse and recycling while discouraging harmful materials.
- Requires free, convenient drop-off locations for consumers, with minimum collection site requirements based on county population (e.g., at least 3 in small counties, 8 in mid-sized counties), and prioritizes reuse and repair over recycling.
- Imposes reporting, auditing, and enforcement requirements—including civil penalties up to $50,000 per day for repeat violations—and prohibits retailers from charging consumers point-of-sale fees for the program.
- Creates a new state account (Textile Extended Producer Responsibility Account) to manage program funds and updates the Pollution Control Hearings Board’s jurisdiction to include appeals related to this program.
Who is affected
- Producers of apparel and textiles — Producers (including manufacturers, importers, and distributors) of apparel and textile products sold in Washington must register with the state and either join a producer responsibility organization or operate their own program, covering all costs of collection, sorting, repair, reuse, and recycling of used products.
- Retailers and online marketplaces — Retailers, online marketplaces, and other sellers must ensure they only sell products from producers that are compliant with the program and may not charge consumers a separate fee to cover program costs.
- Local jurisdictions — Local governments (counties and cities) can serve as collection sites at no cost to themselves and must provide free drop-off locations for consumers, with minimum site requirements based on county population.
- Consumers — Consumers gain access to free, convenient drop-off locations for used apparel and textiles and receive education on reuse, repair, and recycling options.
- Textile repair, sorting, and recycling businesses and nonprofits — Nonprofits and small businesses that repair, sort, or recycle textiles may receive funding and support through the program to expand services and infrastructure.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The bill mandates free, convenient drop-off locations with minimum site thresholds per county, prioritizes reuse and repair over recycling, and requires eco-modulated fees to incentivize sustainable design—significantly increasing textile diversion from landfills and reducing associated GHG emissions and microplastic pollution.
EnvironmentPeopleRef: Sec. 9(2)(a)The eco-modulated fee structure—designed to reward reuse, repair, and safer materials while penalizing harmful inputs—creates strong economic incentives for producers to redesign products for longevity and recyclability, aligning producer incentives with environmental goals.
EnvironmentPeopleRef: Sec. 10(2)(a)The bill requires incentive payments, grants, and market development investments to support reuse, repair, and recycling infrastructure—especially facilities near the point of generation—which is likely to benefit small and mid-sized local recyclers, repair shops, and nonprofits, creating local jobs.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 9(3)(b)The comprehensive education and outreach program—including multilingual outreach, point-of-sale messaging, and consumer guidance on reuse/repair—will improve public awareness and participation, reducing improper disposal and increasing reuse rates for everyday Washingtonians.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 11(1)(g)-(i)The requirement for a six-month reserve fund provides program stability and protects against producer withdrawal or market shocks, reducing long-term risk of program failure and ensuring continuity of services for consumers and local jurisdictions.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 10(3)(b)(v)
Potential Concerns (5)
Retailers and online marketplaces are prohibited from charging point-of-sale fees to consumers to cover program costs, which may compress retailer margins—especially for small retailers with thin profit margins—while the cost burden is effectively passed through supply chains to producers (many of whom are large multinational brands).
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 10(4)Local jurisdictions are required to provide free drop-off locations with minimum site thresholds (e.g., 3–8 per county), but the bill explicitly states they receive no cost burden (Sec. 9(2)(a) and Sec. 10(1)), and may even benefit from increased local reuse/recycling activity and associated nonprofit partnerships. This is a neutral net-zero impact on local governments.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 9(2)(a)The bill requires collection site signage and materials provided at no cost to sites, but does not mandate additional staffing, training, or liability coverage, and places no new safety or enforcement burden on local jurisdictions or law enforcement. Public safety impacts are minimal and neutral.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 11(1)(c)-(d)Retailers and online marketplaces must ensure only compliant producers’ products are sold, and face penalties for noncompliance—but this is a compliance obligation, not a new cost, and the bill provides a 60-day cure period and waiver if violations are corrected quickly. For most compliant retailers, this is a neutral operational adjustment.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 14(4)Retailers and online marketplaces must monitor the Department’s website for producer compliance status, but the bill provides safe harbor for stock in good standing at plan approval and a 30-day cure window for violations—reducing financial risk. The burden is administrative, not financial, and applies equally to large and small sellers.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 15(2)(a)-(b)
Who Is Most Affected
Large apparel brands and importers (global or national scale) will bear the primary financial burden through producer responsibility organization fees and eco-modulated charges, but may pass costs to consumers or absorb them via scale advantages. They also gain regulatory certainty and a standardized system for managing post-consumer products.
Small and mid-sized local recyclers, repair shops, and nonprofits stand to benefit from new funding streams, infrastructure grants, and priority for local facility development—potentially expanding services and creating local jobs.
Consumers gain free, convenient drop-off access and education, with no point-of-sale fees. Low-income and socially vulnerable populations are explicitly prioritized in outreach and facility siting, improving equity of access.
Local governments (counties/cities) serve as free collection sites with no cost burden, but may benefit from reduced landfill fees and increased local reuse/recycling activity. They face minimal administrative burden but gain infrastructure and partnership opportunities.
Online marketplaces and large retailers must monitor producer compliance and ensure only compliant products are sold, but face no direct fees and have safe harbor provisions. The burden is administrative, not financial.