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Wilson College of Textiles 
Textile Waste Disposal Regulations

Legislation

Textile Waste Legislation by State

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY DC

Click on any state to read more about specific legislature and recent updates!

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

  • Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has created a video detailing how to reduce reliance on purchasing new clothing and strategies for diverting apparel from the landfill
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state according to https://www.azdeq.gov and state representatives

Arkansas

California

  • The Pilot Project Bill (SB1187) has been submitted to the California state government to establish stewardship programs specifically dedicated to recycling textiles products such as carpets, mattresses, and apparel. Accessible textile collection sites would be developed alongside facilities for sorting and distributing textile scraps. Read more here.
  • The Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2023 (SB707) was introduced in the California senate by Senator Josh Newman to establish an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), mandating producers of textiles to fund, develop, and integrate textile landfill waste diversion technologies throughout California to facilitate textile recycling for consumer waste. Read more here.
    • The bill was first read on February 16, 2023 and on August 15, 2024 was passed with a vote of 11 ayes to 3 noes.
  • An act to add to and repeal Section 40512 of the Public Resources Code has been developed with a focus on establishing a case study of fabric recycling for garment manufacturers in the Los Angeles and Ventura regions of the state. Read more here.
  • Recycling of mattresses is sponsored by the state of California through its partnership with Bye Bye Mattress, a private industrial recycling firm. Read more here.
  • The California government is a member of the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) and encourages the responsible disposal of carpets via pickup zones all across the state. Read more here.

Colorado

Connecticut

  • The Connecticut state government offers municipal recycling centers for textiles recycling. Read more here.
  • In June of 2013, the Solid Waste Management Advisory Committee hosted a panel discussion regarding the diversion of textiles waste from the landfill. Read more here.
  • The Connecticut state government began limiting the number of PFAs in textiles products. Read more here.

Delaware

  • The Delaware state government is partnered with Phoenix Used Clothing to collect, distribute, and recycle apparel goods, ultimately preventing apparel from going to the landfill. Read more about Phoenix Used Clothing here.
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state outside of their collaboration with Phoenix Used Clothing according to the Delaware Solid Waste Authority.

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

  • Legislation has been passed in the state of Illinois regrading the reduction of PFAs in the production of a vast range of products, including textile products. Read more here.
  • Consumer education has been provided regarding the minimization of ethylene oxide in the treatment of medical textiles. Read more here.

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

  • Solid Waste Grants have been awarded by the Kansas state government to a textiles recycling firm. Read more here.
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Kentucky

  • The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet provide an online excel sheet providing details of all recycling facilities in the state that are free to access by the general public. Read more here.
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state according to the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet.

Louisiana

Maine

  • Maine Public Law c. 477 states that there must be a reporting of products containing PFA’s, including textiles. Read more here.
  • Consumer education is also provided by the Maine Department of of Environmental Protection via their “What can I recycle?” document. Read more here.

Maryland

  • Maryland HB 0930 mandates the availability of mattress recycling for the general public via state owned or sponsored recycling facilities, ultimately looking to create a mattress stewardship program for the state by 2024. Read more here.
  • Textile recycling education programs are offered at a county level. Read more here.

Massachusetts

  • The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has established textile recycling education programs (MassDEP School Green Team) at an elementary school level to promote understanding of the process and overall importance of textile recycling. Read more here.
  • The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection also has the Beyond the Bin Recycling Directory, highlighting state sponsored recycling agencies that are available to the public, including over 25 textile recycling firms. Read more here.
  • The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection developed the Mattress & Textile Waste Ban Communications Toolkit to assist with promotion of recycling methods for mattresses and textiles materials. Read more here.
  • Massachusetts has the goal of reducing overall waste in the landfill by 30% by 2030 through the 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan. Read more here.

Michigan

  • Michigan Chapter 2 waste materials management regulation 2.1.2.a formally defines textiles products as a recyclable material, thus enforcing the recycling of textiles rather than disposal via landfills at a statewide level. Read more here.
  • Michigan Chapter 2 waste materials management regulation 2.7.8 formally defines reusable textiles products such as medical textiles as hazardous waste that require special handling. Read more here.
  • The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy offers consumer education for the general public through their website. Read more here.

Minnesota

  • The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency banned the use of PFA’s in any form of processing. Read more here.
  • The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency provides consumer education regarding Geotextiles use and disposal. Read more here.
  • Buildings in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington counties are required to recycle at least 3 forms of materials, out of the 6 options, textiles is included. Read more here.

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

  • The Montana Department of Environmental Quality offers a Hazardous Waste & Emergency Response Refresher Course as a form of consumer education that covers textiles disposal. Read more here.
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.

Nebraska

  • Nebraska Title 129, Chapter 13 mentions textile products in relation to the minimization of Hazardous Air Pollutants. Read more here.

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

  • The New York Department of Environmental Conservation provides consumer education by providing a list of organizations that offer recycling services to the general public. Read more here.
  • The Carpet Collection Program requires state carpet producers to provide collection services for used carpets and other types of residential flooring materials. The program is set to go into effect by December 8th, 2024 . Read more here.
  • Re-Clothe NY Coalition is an organization comprised of non-profits, textile recycling companies, and government organizations to increase reach of textile recycling throughout the state of NY, their services are accessible via collection centers throughout the state. Read more here.
  • Senate bill S6654 establishes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and was read to the New York State Senate on May 23, 2023 and January 3, 2024. The bill remains in committee in the senate as of August 18, 2024. Read more here.

North Carolina

North Dakota

  • The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality provides consumer education via their website regarding waste management practices for used rags. Read more here.
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state according to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality.

Ohio

  • Ohio business owners are required to track and report their waste generated based on the type of waste produced, this falls under their Hazardous Waste Generators Requirements and textiles are included. Read more here.
  • The Ohio Department of Environmental Quality includes consumer education regarding sustainable consumption habits. Read more here.
  • The state of Ohio is also partnered with the Ohio Materials Marketplace (OMM) to provide an online platform for buying and selling surplus materials that would otherwise be treated as solid waste. Read more here.

Oklahoma

Oregon

  • The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality offers consumer education through their Make Every Thread Count Toolkit and Recycle Right! programs, both of which are focused on promoting textile recycling.
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

  • Texas Administrative Code 328.5 (b)and 328.8 (e, 8) describe the required reporting processes for collecting and recycling textile products in the state government.
  • The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is partnered with various textile recycling centers around the state that offers textile collection and recycling for the general public

Utah

Vermont

  • The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation rewrites its solid waste plan every 5 years, updating the rules for disposing solid waste in the state. As of 2019, the state of Vermont requires local governments to offer at least one textile collection center per region. Read more about textiles recycling on page 25 of the 2019 Materials Management Plan.

Virginia

Washington

  • The Washington Department of Ecology offers consumer education regarding the proper disposal of personal protective equipment (ppe). Read more here.
  • The Washington Department of Ecology is partnered with the University of Washington to research textile waste across the state
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state according to the Washington Department of Ecology.

West Virginia

  • The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection offers consumer education regarding purchasing of 2nd hand clothes. Read more here.
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state according to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

Wisconsin

  • The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources offers consumer education regarding purchasing of second hand clothes on their website
  • The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is partnered with Better Earth Recycling to promote the recycling throughout the state. Read more here.
  • No legislative acts relating to textiles waste exist in this state according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Wyoming