The STEWARD Act, championed by Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Sheldon Whitehouse, and John Boozman, marks a significant legislative step toward addressing textile waste alongside other materials. Following unanimous committee approval on February 5, the act aims to monitor and manage textile waste through improved data collection and recycling infrastructure.
American Circular Textiles (ACT) welcomed the committee’s efforts, highlighting the historical exclusion of textiles from federal recycling programs. ACT expressed optimism that this recognition could catalyze circular strategies in the textile industry, enhancing sustainability within US manufacturing.
ACT shared:
“This bipartisan effort is a critical step toward improving our nation’s recycling and composting infrastructure in rural and underserved areas, ensuring greater accessibility and transparency in waste management data.
“The STEWARD Act combines previous legislation aimed at improving recycling infrastructure and accountability measures for packaging, plastics, and organic materials. While the infrastructure provisions focus on these traditional recycling streams, the bill takes an important first step for textile recycling through new data collection requirements.”
ACT emphasized:
“This data collection component marks a significant milestone in bringing visibility to textile waste management challenges at the national level.”
Key Components of the STEWARD Act
The Pilot Grant Program
Central to the STEWARD Act is the establishment of the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Program under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This pilot grant initiative offers competitive grants ranging from $500,000 to $15 million for projects designed to enhance recycling systems through a hub-and-spoke model.
The program primarily targets communities with inadequate access to materials recovery facilities, supporting projects that:
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Expand transfer stations.
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Broaden curbside recycling programs.
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Reduce transportation and collection costs.
While previous recycling efforts focused on packaging, plastics, and organic materials, the STEWARD Act introduces a groundbreaking focus on textile recycling, requiring new data collection on textile waste.
Enhanced Data Collection and Reporting
A cornerstone of the STEWARD Act is its modernized approach to recycling and composting data collection. By standardizing metrics, the act enables the evaluation and advancement of waste management systems across the nation.
The EPA will collect and analyze data on:
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Market trends and material processing rates.
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Effectiveness of curbside recycling programs.
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Accessibility to recycling and composting programs.
Additionally, the act promotes collaborations with states to share data voluntarily, develops metrics for landfill diversion, and provides technical support to improve recycling systems. The EPA is also tasked with evaluating national composting capabilities, identifying infrastructure gaps, regulatory challenges, and industry costs.
Broad Support for the Act
The STEWARD Act has received wide-ranging support from industry leaders and organizations. Companies such as PepsiCo, Unilever, and General Mills back the bill, alongside prominent trade associations including the US Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers.
Bringing textiles into the federal recycling framework through the STEWARD Act represents a major step forward in waste management innovation. With its focus on data, accessibility, and infrastructure, the act lays the groundwork for a more sustainable and circular economy.
