California assembly rejects proposal for ‘pollution’ labels on polyester clothing
15/06/2018
The proposal, from a member of California’s state assembly, Richard Bloom, received approval from the assembly’s natural resources committee in April, but it was prevented from becoming law in a vote in early June. A spokesperson for Mr Bloom suggested he will try again next year because “plastic isn’t going away and we have to continue to address this issue.”
Other states, including New York and Connecticut are already considering similar legislation there and there are calls for the US to make microfibre warning labels obligatory nationally.
Richard Bloom envisaged a label that raises consumer awareness about the environmental damage small plastic fibres are causing in the oceans and waterways of the world, with some of the fibres entering the water cycle from clothing in washing-machines; many microfibres are too fine to be picked up by filters. He also suggested that the label recommend hand-washing of garments with a polyester content of greater than 50%.
The American Apparel & Footwear Association welcomed the California assembly’s decision not to pass the proposal into law. It remarked that the issue of microfibre waste requires more research and discussion “to understand its precise causes and impacts” and said imposing labels such as those suggested by Mr Bloom would be “premature”.
However, the politician’s view is clear. “Similar to climate change, the science is staring us in the face, waiting for us to act. Plastic microfibres are making their way from washing machines into our seafood and even into the water we drink. If we don’t act, the problem will only get worse.”
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