Bill
A 4716
Requires new residential washing machines to have microfiber filtration, with standards and labeling to cut microplastic pollution, affecting manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.
Status & Procedural History
- Assembly bill A4716, introduced 2025-02-05 (primary sponsor: Anna Kelles; cosponsors Linda Rosenthal, Dana Levenberg, William Colton).
- Multiple amended prints (A4716A, A4716B, A4716C). Reported and referred through Consumer Affairs & Protection and Codes; most recently ORDERED TO THIRD READING (Rules Cal.613) on 2025-06-11.
- Companion bill in the Senate: S5605.
- Full statutory text was not legible in the materials supplied; the summary below is based on the bill title and typical content of similarly named legislation, with explicit notes where specifics were not available.
Purpose / Intent
- To reduce the release of synthetic microfiber pollution (microplastics) from household washing machines into wastewater and the environment by requiring filtration controls on washing machines or otherwise reducing microfiber emissions.
Key provisions (based on bill title and common legislative practices)
- Requirement for filtration: Establishes a requirement that new residential (and possibly commercial) washing machines be equipped with microfiber filtration systems that capture a defined percentage of fibers during wash cycles.
- Performance standards: Directs a state agency (likely the Department of Environmental Conservation or Consumer Affairs) to set technical performance standards and testing protocols for microfiber filters.
- Labeling and consumer disclosure: Requires manufacturers to include labeling indicating compliance, filter performance, maintenance instructions, and any replacement intervals.
- Retrofit and timeline: May require manufacturers to provide retrofit kits or retailers to offer compliant models; likely includes phased compliance dates (specific dates/phase-ins not available in supplied text).
- Enforcement and penalties: Authorizes enforcement by a state agency with civil penalties for noncompliance and may describe reporting or certification requirements.
- Exemptions and standards alignment: May include exemptions for certain appliance classes and directives to align with federal/industry standards.
Who would be affected
- Appliance manufacturers and importers (engineering, manufacturing, compliance costs).
- Retailers and distributors (product stocking and labeling).
- Consumers (potentially higher purchase price and ongoing filter maintenance costs; benefit from reduced environmental pollution).
- Wastewater utilities and aquatic ecosystems (potential environmental benefits from reduced microfiber loads).
- State agencies (implementation, testing, enforcement responsibilities).
Potential impacts and considerations
- Environmental benefit: Expected reduction in microplastic discharges to wastewater and receiving waters.
- Economic impact: Upfront costs to manufacturers and possibly higher consumer prices; potential market for filters/retrofit kits and filter disposal/management systems.
- Implementation detail gaps: The supplied materials did not include the bill’s exact technical standards, compliance dates, funding mechanisms (e.g., rebates), or specific enforcement provisions. Those details determine the scope of costs and administrative burden.
Next steps / How to find full text
- The bill was ordered to third reading in the Assembly (Rules Calendar). Review the latest printed version (4716C) and sponsor materials on the New York State Legislature website or contact the sponsor’s office for the complete bill text and fiscal notes to see exact requirements, dates, and agency roles.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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