Waste management: plastic microfiber.

The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65) prohibits any person, in the course of doing business, from knowingly and intentionally exposing any individual to a chemical known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity without giving a specified warning, or from discharging or releasing such a chemical into any source of drinking water, except as specified. Existing law prohibits the sale of expanded polystyrene packaging material by a wholesaler or manufacturer unless that material is composed of 100% recycled material. Existing law prohibits a person from selling a plastic product in this state that is labeled with the term "compostable," "home compostable," or "marine degradable" unless, at the time of sale, the plastic product meets the applicable ASTM International standard specification. Existing law prohibits, on and after January 1, 2020, a person, business, or other entity from selling or offering for promotional purposes in this state a personal care product containing plastic microbeads, as specified. This bill would require that new clothing made from fabric that is composed of more than 50% synthetic material bear a conspicuous label that is visible to the consumer at the point of sale, in the form of a sticker, hang tag, or any other label type, with specified information, including a statement that the garment sheds plastic microfibers when washed. The bill would require new clothing with that material composition, if a care label is required pursuant to federal law, to include additional information on the care label, including that same statement. The bill would prohibit a person from selling or offering for sale new clothing made from fabric that is composed of more than 50% synthetic material that does not bear those labels. The bill would require that these requirements be enforced only through a civil action brought by the Attorney General, a district attorney, or a city attorney. The bill would make these provisions effective on January 1, 2020.