Press Release Issued 9/15/2017 by the National Stewardship Action Council. For more information, contact NSAC's Executive Director Heidi Sanborn.

Environmentalists, Local Governments, Waste Haulers, Unions, Carpet Industry Representatives Applaud Legislature, Urge Governor Brown’s Support

(SACRAMENTO) – Today, the California Legislature sent AB 1158, which is sponsored by the National Stewardship Action Council and authored byAssemblymember Kansen Chu (D-Milpitas) and co-authored by Assemblymember Mark Stone (D- Santa Cruz) to Governor Brown for signature to protect carpet consumers who pay a recycling fee by ensuring the money will be used to fund a robust carpet recycling system that is convenient to use.

“My bill protects consumers while supporting proper training for carpet installers and keeping recyclable material out of landfills and incinerators,” said Assemblymember Kansen Chu.  “The state has made great progress to increase recycling and reduce waste and we cannot do it without successful recycling programs for large volume products like carpet.”

“This is a great victory, one that gives California fee payers and stakeholder’s confidence our money will be spent wisely to increase jobs in processing and recycling in California,” said Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director of the National Action Stewardship Council. “We are confident the Governor will see the many benefits, including job creation, and will sign the bill.”She goes on to say, “This is landmark legislation that will transform the carpet sector – which discards more than 300 million pounds of carpet annually in California - towards a circular economy.”

Environmentalists, unions representing carpet installers, waste haulers and recyclers, even carpet producers like Interface support the bill. 

"Interface supports this bill because it is an important step forward toward a stronger carpet stewardship program in California. Recycling carpet at end of life is especially difficult in this era of low petroleum prices, making it economically challenging. As a result, a robust stewardship plan is that much more important today," said Matt Miller, president of Interface Americas. "We are leading the way, driving our entire industry to commit to the circular economy, as we are doing through our own ReEntry program. Together we must harvest the valuable materials from carpet at end of life and use them to create new carpet and other products."

The National Stewardship Action Council sponsored AB 1158.  The final vote was 30-10 in the Senate and 52-22 with 5 not voting in the Assembly and must now be approved by Governor Brown by the October 15th deadline.

About NSAC – www.nsaction.us

NSAC was founded in 2015 as an affiliate of the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC).  NSAC is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that will engage primarily in lobbying and advocacy work for EPR and Product Stewardship, anywhere in the U.S. and at any level of government interested in legislation that drives a circular economy. 

NSAC’s Vision

Be a catalyst to effect accountable, nation-wide, producer responsibility.

NSAC’s Mission
Producers have the primary responsibility to establish, fund, and manage end of life systems for their products with governmental entities setting the performance goals, ensuring accountability and transparency, and driving green design. NSAC is to achieve these goals through an organization of broad stakeholder partners from both public and private interests.