Senate Bill S5605A

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Enacts the "washing machine microfiber filtration act"

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Consumer Protection Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

2025-S5605 - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Consumer Protection
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §396-uu, Gen Bus L

2025-S5605 - Summary

Requires washing machines sold after a certain date to contain a microfiber filtration system that meets certain specifications.

2025-S5605 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5605 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5605
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to  requiring  all
   washing machines be sold with a microfiber filtration system and prop-
   er notice of such system

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
 395-c to read as follows:
   § 395-C. SALE OF  WASHING  MACHINES.  1.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A)  "MICROFIBER  FILTRATION  SYSTEM"  MEANS A FILTRATION UNIT THAT IS
 ACTIVE ACROSS ALL WASHING CYCLES AND MEETS EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING:  (I)
 THE  UNIT  IS  INTEGRATED  INTO THE WASHING MACHINE DESIGN AS A BUILT-IN
 FILTER; OR (II) THE UNIT IS INCLUDED AS AN IN-LINE FILTER AND  IS  PACK-
 AGED, SOLD, AND INSTALLED WITH THE WASHING MACHINE; AND
   (B)  "WASHING  MACHINE"  MEANS A MACHINE DESIGNED AND USED FOR WASHING
 CLOTHES AND LINEN.
   2. ON AND AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE, A NEW WASHING
 MACHINE SHALL NOT BE SOLD OR OFFERED FOR SALE IN THE STATE FOR  RESIDEN-
 TIAL,  COMMERCIAL, OR STATE USE UNLESS THE WASHING MACHINE MEETS BOTH OF
 THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
   (A) CONTAINS A MICROFIBER FILTRATION SYSTEM WITH A MESH  SIZE  OF  NOT
 GREATER THAN ONE HUNDRED MICROMETERS; AND
   (B)  BEARS A CONSPICUOUS LABEL THAT IS VISIBLE TO THE CONSUMER, IN THE
 FORM OF A STICKER OR ANY OTHER LABEL TYPE, THAT INCLUDES  THE  FOLLOWING
 STATEMENT:  "NOTICE:  THIS  WASHING MACHINE CONTAINS A FILTER TO CAPTURE
 MICROFIBERS. CHECK FILTER REGULARLY AND DISPOSE OF CAPTURED  LINT  IN  A
 WASTE BIN."
   3.  (A)  A  MANUFACTURER  OF  A WASHING MACHINE THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE
 REQUIREMENTS OF SUBDIVISION TWO  OF  THIS  SECTION  SHALL  PROVIDE  EACH
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08178-01-5
              

co-Sponsors

2025-S5605A - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Consumer Protection
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §396-uu, Gen Bus L

2025-S5605A - Summary

Requires washing machines sold after a certain date to contain a microfiber filtration system that meets certain specifications.

2025-S5605A - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5605A - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5605--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Consumer  Protection  --
   committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
   recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring wash-
   ing machines to meet certain filtration system requirements
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section   1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "washing
 machine microfiber filter act".
   § 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section  396-
 uu to read as follows:
   §  396-UU.  SALE OF WASHING MACHINES.  1. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   A. "MICROFIBER FILTRATION SYSTEM" MEANS  A  FILTRATION  UNIT  THAT  IS
 ACTIVE ACROSS ALL WASHING CYCLES AND MEETS EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) THE UNIT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE WASHING MACHINE DESIGN AS A BUILT-
 IN FILTER; OR
   (II)  THE UNIT IS INCLUDED AS AN IN-LINE FILTER AND IS PACKAGED, SOLD,
 AND INSTALLED WITH THE WASHING MACHINE; AND
   B. "WASHING MACHINE" MEANS A MACHINE DESIGNED  AND  USED  FOR  WASHING
 CLOTHES AND LINEN.
   2.  A.    ON AND AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, ALL NEW
 WASHING MACHINES OFFERED FOR SALE IN THE STATE SHALL CONTAIN A  BUILT-IN
 OR  IN-LINE MICROFIBER FILTRATION SYSTEM WITH A MESH SIZE OF NOT GREATER
 THAN ONE HUNDRED MICROMETERS.
   B. ALL WASHING MACHINES SOLD IN THE STATE ON OR AFTER  JANUARY  FIRST,
 TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-SIX SHALL BEAR A CONSPICUOUS LABEL THAT IS VISIBLE
 TO THE CONSUMER, IN THE FORM OF A STICKER OR ANY OTHER LABEL TYPE,  THAT
 INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: "NOTICE: THIS WASHING MACHINE CONTAINS
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08178-02-5
 S. 5605--A                          2
              

co-Sponsors

2025-S5605B - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Consumer Protection
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §396-uu, Gen Bus L

2025-S5605B - Summary

Requires washing machines sold after a certain date to contain a microfiber filtration system that meets certain specifications.

2025-S5605B - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5605B - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5605--B
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. KAVANAGH, MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when  printed  to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
   -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered  reprinted  as  amended
   and  recommitted  to  said  committee  --  committee  discharged, bill
   amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said  commit-
   tee
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring wash-
   ing machines to meet certain filtration system requirements
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the  "washing
 machine microfiber filter act".
   §  2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 396-
 uu to read as follows:
   § 396-UU. SALE OF WASHING MACHINES.  1. DEFINITIONS. AS USED  IN  THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   A.  "MICROFIBER  FILTRATION  SYSTEM"  MEANS  A FILTRATION UNIT THAT IS
 ACTIVE ACROSS ALL WASHING CYCLES AND MEETS EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) THE UNIT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE WASHING MACHINE DESIGN AS A BUILT-
 IN FILTER; OR
   (II) THE UNIT IS INCLUDED AS AN IN-LINE FILTER AND IS PACKAGED,  SOLD,
 AND INSTALLED WITH THE WASHING MACHINE; AND
   B.  "WASHING  MACHINE"  MEANS  A MACHINE DESIGNED AND USED FOR WASHING
 CLOTHES AND LINEN.
   2. A.  ON AND AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT, ALL  NEW
 WASHING  MACHINES OFFERED FOR SALE IN THE STATE SHALL CONTAIN A BUILT-IN
 OR IN-LINE MICROFIBER FILTRATION SYSTEM WITH A MESH SIZE OF NOT  GREATER
 THAN ONE HUNDRED MICROMETERS.
   B.  ALL  NEW  WASHING  MACHINES  SOLD IN THE STATE ON OR AFTER JANUARY
 FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT SHALL BEAR A CONSPICUOUS LABEL THAT  IS
 VISIBLE  TO  THE  CONSUMER,  IN THE FORM OF A STICKER OR ANY OTHER LABEL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08178-03-5
              

co-Sponsors

2025-S5605C (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Consumer Protection
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §396-uu, Gen Bus L

2025-S5605C (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires washing machines sold after a certain date to contain a microfiber filtration system that meets certain specifications.

2025-S5605C (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5605C (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5605--C
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens. KAVANAGH, FERNANDEZ, MAY -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer
   Protection -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
   amended and recommitted to said  committee  --  committee  discharged,
   bill  amended,  ordered  reprinted  as amended and recommitted to said
   committee -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted  as
   amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the general business law, in relation to enacting the
   "washing machine microfiber filtration act"
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This  act shall be known and may be cited as the "washing
 machine microfiber filtration act".
   § 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section  396-
 uu to read as follows:
   §  396-UU.  SALE OF WASHING MACHINES; MICROFIBER FILTRATION.  1. DEFI-
 NITIONS. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING  TERMS  SHALL  HAVE  THE
 FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   A.  "MICROFIBER FILTRATION SYSTEM" MEANS A FILTER OR OTHER FEATURE, OR
 A SERIES OF FILTERS OR OTHER FEATURES, BUILT INTO A WASHING  MACHINE  OR
 PACKAGED,  SOLD,  AND INSTALLED WITH A WASHING MACHINE THAT REMOVES FROM
 WATER USED ACROSS ALL WASHING CYCLES NINETY PERCENT OR  MORE  OF  FIBERS
 AND MICROFIBERS THAT ARE ONE HUNDRED MICROMETERS OR LARGER.
   B.  "WASHING  MACHINE"  MEANS  A MACHINE DESIGNED AND USED FOR WASHING
 CLOTHES AND LINEN.
   2. A. ON AND AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND THIRTY, NO NEW  WASHING
 MACHINES SHALL BE OFFERED FOR SALE OR SOLD IN THE STATE WITHOUT A MICRO-
 FIBER FILTRATION SYSTEM.
   B.  ALL  NEW  WASHING  MACHINES  SOLD  IN  THE STATE WITH A MICROFIBER
 FILTRATION SYSTEM ON OR AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND  THIRTY  SHALL
 BEAR A CONSPICUOUS STICKER OR OTHER LABEL THAT IS VISIBLE TO THE CONSUM-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08178-05-5
              

Comments

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Alison_Waliszewski
2 weeks ago

June 5, 2025

Re: Support for S5605A / A4716A – Microfiber Filtration Requirements for Washing Machines

Chair, Consumer Protection Committee
New York State Senate
Legislative Office Building, Room 804
Albany, NY 12247

Dear Senator May and Members of the Consumer Protection Committee;

On behalf of the 5 Gyres Institute, I write in strong support of S5605A / A4716A, which would require all new residential and commercial washing machines sold in New York to include integrated microfiber filtration systems. As an environmental nonprofit dedicated to advancing science-based solutions to plastic pollution, we view this bill as a critical step in protecting public health, ecosystems, and water quality.

Microfibers are one of the most prevalent and persistent forms of microplastic pollution. These particles shed during washing, drying, and use of synthetic textiles are transported by air and water and have been found in oceans, freshwater, soil, the Arctic, and even Mount Everest¹. They can persist in the environment for decades or longer due to their chemical treatments, coatings, and resistance to degradation².

Since 1950, an estimated 4.8 million metric tons of synthetic microfibers have entered the environment³. Wastewater treatment plants emit between 30,000 and 15 million microfibers per day even after standard filtration³. Biosolids containing trapped microfibers are often applied to farmland, introducing additional pollutants to soils⁴. Microfibers are also transported via air and are the most common microparticles found in human lungs⁵.

Microfibers accumulate in fish, birds, terrestrial animals, and humans, with studies detecting them in trout, salmon, anchovies, white suckers, black rockfish, and various invertebrates⁶⁻⁷. In humans, microfibers have been found in the lungs, placenta, liver, and brain, showing the capacity to translocate across tissues and organs⁸⁻¹⁰. Inhalation in indoor environments, especially poorly ventilated spaces can result in exposure of up to 140 particles per kilogram of body weight per day¹¹.

These fibers can cause gut blockages, gill damage, inflammation, and endocrine disruption, and can act as chemical carriers, absorbing pesticides, PAHs, heavy metals, and additives commonly used in textile production¹²⁻¹⁵. Their irregular shape and diverse chemical makeup complicate toxicological assessments and heighten long-term risks to human and ecosystem health.

Filtration is a proven solution. Washing machine filters can capture up to 90% of shed fibers before they enter wastewater systems¹⁶. Real-world pilots show these technologies are effective in reducing citywide emissions¹⁷. A recent cost analysis commissioned by The Nature Conservancy found that incorporating microfiber filters at the manufacturing stage would increase the price of a new residential machine by only $14–$20, with costs expected to fall as adoption scales.

By requiring integrated filtration on new washing machines, S5605A / A4716A takes a vital upstream approach to preventing microplastic pollution before it begins. New York has the opportunity to lead by example and reduce microfiber emissions at their source—protecting our waterways, wildlife, and communities.

5 Gyres is proud to support this legislation and urges swift passage. Thank you for your leadership in tackling this urgent issue.

Sincerely,

Alison Waliszewski
Director of Regional Policy & Program Development
5 Gyres Institute

References
¹ Stanton et al. Sci Total Environ (2019).
² Lacasse & Baumann. Textile Chemicals (Springer, 2004).
³ Tao et al. Environ Sci Technol Lett (2022).
⁴ Kapp & Miller. PLoS ONE (2020).
⁵ Saini et al. Indoor Air (2017).
⁶ Munno et al. Conserv Biol (2021).
⁷ Lasdin et al. PeerJ (2023).
⁸ Ragusa et al. Environ Int (2021).
⁹ Horvatits et al. eBioMedicine (2022).
¹⁰ Amato-Lourenço et al. JAMA (2024).
¹¹ Saini et al. Indoor Air (2017).
¹² Athey et al. Water (2022).
¹³ Schellenberger et al. Environ Sci Technol (2019).
¹⁴ Xue et al. Environ Sci Technol (2017).
¹⁵ Lacasse & Baumann. Textile Chemicals (Springer, 2004).
¹⁶ Gavigan et al. PLoS ONE (2020).
¹⁷ Michishita et al. Environ Pollut (2023).

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