The Voluntary Sustainable Labeling Act
Governmental Agency: US Senate / House of Representatives
Jurisdiction: New York, USA
Ref no: H.R. 8978
Status: IN REVIEW
The Voluntary Sustainable Labeling Act, introduced by Representatives María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Sean Casten (D-IL), aims to inform consumers about the environmental impact of their clothing purchases. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will work with apparel manufactures to create a label to place on products with EPA-verified information regarding the greenhouse gas emissions released during the production, manufacturing, distribution, consumer use, end-of-life reuse, and recycling or disposal of the product. The goal is to encourage manufacturers to showcase their carbon footprint reduction efforts—and encourage conscious consumption.
Key aspects of the bill:
- The EPA will consult with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Agriculture to implement the Voluntary Sustainable Apparel Labeling Program.
- Apparel sellers can volunteer to participate in the program and place the label on the product or the packaging.
- The label will include information about the greenhouse gas emissions released during the full lifecycle of the item—from the growing of the fiber or manufacture of the synthetic fiber to the end-of-life recycling, reuse or disposal. A QR code will take the customer to a page with more in-depth information.
- The label will convey the information in an accessible way to the consumer at the point of sale, indicate EPA verification, and include a logo that identifies the label.
How the bill would be implemented:
- The EPA would establish a public database to access the program objectives, greenhouse gas footprint data, and voluntary sustainability commitments.
- The EPA would establish a program for third-party monitoring and verification.
- Participating entities would be provided technical assistance and consultants for greenhouse gas emission reductions.
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Entities that sell apparel will be allowed, but not mandated, to place an apparel sustainability label on their apparel products or product packaging, as specified under the program.
Any entity that uses the label fraudulently will be liable for civil penalties. -
On July 10, 2024, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
