,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bdce  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #bd1     
#bjbe ,mr4 ,merkley introduced the      
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
  ,a ,,bill  ,to require that all new   
washing machines sold or offered for    
sale in the ,united ,states contain a   
microfiber filtration system1 and for   
other purposes4  #a4  ,short title      
,this ,act may be cited as the ,fighting
 ,fibers ,act of #bjbe4  #b4            
,definition of ,administrator  ,in this 
,act1 the term ,administrator means the 
,administrator of the ,environmental    
,protection ,agency4  #c4  ,microfiber  
filtration in washing machines  7a7     
,definitions  ,in this section3 7#a7    
,microfiber filtration system ,the term 
microfiber filtration system means a    
filtration unit for a washing machine   
that is--  7,a7 active across all       
washing cycles2 and  7,b7  7i7          

integrated into the washing machine     
design as a built-in filter2 or  7ii7   
7,i7 included as an in-line filter2 and 
7,,ii7 packaged1 sold1 and installed    
with the washing machine4  7#b7         
,washing machine  7,a7  ,in general     
,the term washing machine means a       
machine designed and used for washing   
clothes and linen4  7,b7  ,inclusions   
,the term washing machine includes      
residential and commercial washing      
machines4  7b7  ,microfiber filtration  
,the ,administrator1 jointly with the   
,secretary of ,energy1 shall ensure     
that1 beginning on ,january #a1 #bjcj1  
no new washing machine is sold or       
offered for sale in the ,united ,states 
unless the washing machine meets the    
following requirements3  7#a7 ,contains 
a microfiber filtration system-- 7,a7   
with a mesh size of not greater than    
#ajj micrometers2 or  7,b7 that meets   
another standard that is determined by  
the ,administrator1 jointly with the    
,secretary of ,energy1 in a rulemaking  

under subsection 7c7 to provide equal or
 greater efficacy in reducing microfiber
 pollution as compared to a microfiber  
filtration system with a mesh size of   
not greater than #ajj micrometers4  7#b7
 ,bears a conspicuous label that is     
visible to the consumer1 in the form of 
a sticker or any other label type1 that 
includes--  7,a7 the following          
statement3 ,notice3 ,this washing       
machine contains a filter to capture    
microfibers4 ,check filter regularly and
 dispose of captured lint in a waste    
bin42 or  7,b7 a similar label as       
determined by the ,administrator1       
jointly with the ,secretary of ,energy1 
in a rulemaking under subsection 7c74   
7#c7 ,such other requirements or        
standards as the ,administrator1 jointly
 with the ,secretary of ,energy1 may    
require through a rulemaking under      
subsection 7c74  7c7  ,rulemaking  ,the 
,administrator1 jointly with the        
,secretary of ,energy1 may promulgate   
regulations to carry out this section4  

7d7  ,civil penalties  7#a7  ,in general
  ,any person that violates the         
requirements of this section shall be   
assessed a civil penalty by the         
,administrator of--  7,a7 in the case of
 a first violation1 not more than       
#aj1jjj2 and  7,b7 in the case of each  
subsequent violation1 #cj1jjj4  7#b7    
,cumulative remedies  ,the remedies     
provided in this section are in addition
 to any other remedy available under any
 other law4  7e7  ,savings provision    
,nothing in this section impairs or     
impedes any other right1 cause of       
action1 claim1 or defense available     
under any other law4  #d4  ,microfiber  
research and directives  7a7            
,definition of microfiber  ,in this     
section1 the term microfiber means a    
synthetic or natural textile fiber that 
is less than #e millimeters in length4  
7b7  ,study  7#a7  ,in general  ,the    
,administrator1 in consultation with the
 heads of other ,federal departments and
 agencies as the ,administrator         

determines to be necessary1 shall carry 
out a nationwide study on--  7,a7 the   
presence of1 sources of1 and pathways   
used by microfibers in the human body   
and the environment2  7,b7 whether the  
presence of microfibers in the human    
body and the environment has a toxic    
effect on human health and the          
environment2 and  7,c7 whether the      
presence of microfibers in the human    
body and the environment has an         
inequitable impact on environmental     
justice communities1 as determined by   
the ,administrator4  7#b7  ,report  ,not
 later than #a year after the date of   
enactment of this ,act1 the             
,administrator shall submit to          
,congress1 and make publicly available1 
a report that describes the results of  
the study under paragraph 7#a74