The Coin Laundry Association recently reached out to the California State Assembly regarding AB 1724, proposed legislation that would impact washing machines in that state.
In a letter to the chair and vice chair of the state assembly, CLA President and CEO Brian Wallace shared the association’s views on the bill, which would require all washers sold in California be equipped with filters to address microfiber pollution. The CLA stated it is opposed to this legislation based on several technical and financial considerations:
- Currently, the CLA is not aware of any such filtration technology available for a laundromat site application. With that in mind, this legislation would be impossible to implement ahead of the research, development, testing and production of such a filtration solution.
- Once a technical solution is identified, it may prove cost-ineffective and place a higher, costlier maintenance burden on laundromat owners.
- Any intervention – such as a filter – could significantly increase cycle times, thus inconveniencing customers and leading to a potential loss of revenue for laundromat operators.
- Because fewer total wash loads are processed in laundromats than all other options (home washing, apartment laundry rooms, etc.), it doesn’t make sense for this legislation to cover commercial washers installed in laundromats.
In addition, Wallace noted that the CLA would call for the bill’s sponsors to add more specificity to the language, as it leaves many open questions. For example, what level of filtration is required?
“The introduction of this legislation also begs the question as to whether this issue should be the responsibility of the launderer – as opposed to being addressed upstream with the garment/textile manufacturers, or downstream from the laundromat in the municipal wastewater treatment facility,” Wallace explained. “The CLA opposes AB 1724 as an impractical solution for which no application currently exists for the laundromat use scenario. It’s a solution that also may add burdensome costs to the business owner, as well as to the lower income families who rely on laundromats.”
Other industry stakeholders, including the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and the Textile Rental Services Association, also have reached out to the California State Assembly in opposition to this proposed legislation.
