Welcome to the latest ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update, a biweekly roundup of the public-policy issues currently impacting the full cleaning supply chain. This update touches on ISSA urging U.S. Senators to pass the WIPPES Act, ISSA submitting comments to California regarding 1-4-dioxane, getting ready for Election Day on November 5, and more.

Want to stay informed about critical government affairs impacting the cleaning and facility-solutions industry? Sign up here to have the ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update emailed directly to you every other week.

ISSA Advocacy

ISSA Urges Senate to Create National Standards for Wipes Labeling
What it means: The Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives on a bipartisan basis earlier this year. If enacted, the act would provide a common sense “Do Not Flush” labeling requirement for non-flushable wipes packaging and establish a simple source-management solution through consistent on-package consumer education.
Why it matters: This legislation takes a straightforward and reasonable approach to addressing the preventable problems stemming from the improper disposal of non-flushable wipes in the nation’s wastewater systems.
What ISSA is doing: This week, ISSA, as part of a coalition including INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, will send a letter to leaders of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation urging committee members to swiftly advance the WIPPES Act. Learn more and take action

ISSA Submits Comments on CA 1,4-Dioxane Proposal
What it means: The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) proposes regulations aimed at reducing consumer exposure to 1,4-dioxane in personal-care and cleaning products. 1,4-Dioxane is a contaminant that can be present at low levels in certain products due to the ethoxylation process used to create some surfactants.
Why it matters: While the DTSC emphasized the importance of minimizing exposure to 1,4-dioxane, ISSA actively reviewed the proposed regulations to ensure that they are achievable and allow for the continued formulation of effective cleaning products.
What ISSA is doing: On September 17, ISSA, along with other industry stakeholders, submitted comments to the DTSC reflecting the importance of protecting public health, while ensuring that the cleaning and facility-solutions industry can continue to provide essential products. The association is committed to working with the DTSC to develop a balanced and workable approach that simultaneously minimizes consumer exposure to 1,4-dioxane and maintains the high performance and affordability of cleaning products. Learn more and see ISSA’s submitted comments

Get Ready for Election Day!
What it means: Get ready for Election Day on November 5 by visiting ISSA’s Election Center.
Why it matters: With the presidency, 468 congressional seats (33 Senate seats and all 435 House seats), 11 gubernatorial races, and numerous local races all in play this November, now is the time to strengthen the voice of the cleaning and facility-solutions industry. The outcome of these elections will likely impact significant issues facing our industry related to labor, chemical regulations, and the supply chain. This is the time to make sure that you know who is running for public office and where to vote in your district.
What ISSA is doing: Visit the ISSA Election Center to easily:

• Register to vote,
• Find your polling location,
• Check your candidates for upcoming elections, and more.

And register here for a free ISSA webinar on December 11 on What the 2024 Elections Mean for the Cleaning and Facility-Solutions Industry.

Webinar – Navigating Extended Producer Responsibility in the Cleaning Industry
Why attend: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a regulatory system that holds brands and other entities accountable for the waste that their products produce. EPR-related legislation aims to reduce packaging waste and support a circular economy. In this ISSA webinar on October 22, we’ll explore how EPR is shaping the cleaning and facility-solutions industry and what it means for your business. Learn more and register

Include Advocacy as Part of Your ISSA Show Experience
Your ISSA Advocacy Team has a myriad of activities for you to engage in as part of ISSA Show North America 2024 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 17-21, including:

November 18

• Keeping It Clean: Regulatory Compliance Review – 8 am-5 pm, Coral ABC, North Convention Center
  This workshop, presented by ISSA and the Household & Commercial Products Association, requires separate registration here.
• Stay Compliant with New Labor Laws – 1:45 pm-2:45 pm, Islander A, North Convention Center
  This session requires an All-Access Pass to attend.

November 19

• Women Leading in Advocacy/Advocacy Meet Up – 11:30 am-12:30 pm, CleanMeet Zone – Show Floor, Booth #600
• What the PFAS? What It Means for Cleaning Products – 1:30 pm-2 pm, Business Solutions Theater – Show Floor, Booth #117
• End Period Poverty Service Project – 2 pm-4 pm, ISSA Experience Hub
  The first 50 volunteers to help us fill personal-care bags for those in need in the local community will receive a special thank-you gift from our Donation-Bag Sponsor, HOSPECO Brands Group.
• Advocacy Happy Hour – 4 pm-5 pm, ISSA Experience Hub, sponsored by Products Chemical
  Come meet the ISSA Advocacy Team, talk politics, network, and enjoy a complimentary drink!

November 20

• Industry Leaders Roundtable – 2:45 pm-1:15 pm, Business Solutions Theater – Show Floor, Booth #117

Be sure to stop by our Advocacy Booth in the ISSA Experience Hub and say hello to your Advocacy Team. We look forward to seeing you there! Learn more

Webinar – What the 2024 Elections Mean for the Cleaning and Facility-Solutions Industry
Why attend: No matter the outcome, the 2024 elections will have a major impact on our industry. Join this free ISSA webinar, What the 2024 Elections Mean for the Cleaning and Facility-Solutions Industry, 12 pm-1 pm CT on December 11. Learn more and register

Thank you to ISSA member company Products Chemical for serving as the Sponsor of the ISSA Advocacy Happy Hour, 4 pm-5 pm, November 19, ISSA Experience Hub as part of ISSA Show North America 2024.

Additional Updates

Legislative

House Speaker Announces Vote to Avoid Government Shutdown
Speaker Mike Johnson said that the U.S. House of Representatives will vote this week on a three-month stopgap funding bill to keep the federal government open through December 20. If the measure goes into effect, the government would avert a shutdown that is set to begin at the start of next month without congressional action, NBC News reported. Learn more

Congress Looks to Repeal COVID-19-Era, Small-Business Tax Credit
Legislation to prevent the U.S. Internal Revenue Service from processing Employee Retention Tax Credit claims filed after January 31, 2024, was introduced last week by Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and Thom Tillis (R-NC), according to Deseret News. Learn more

Regulatory

EPA Announces Additional Safer Choice Label for Outdoor Use
As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) efforts to prevent pollution and empower people to find products with ingredients that are safer for public health and the environment, the agency launched an Outdoor Use Safer Choice label. This new label expands on EPA’s existing Safer Choice label and will identify outdoor-use products–like pet-care products, fire-defense products, and car, boat, or grill cleaners–that meet additional EPA criteria to help protect the environment. Learn more

EPA Delays Implementation of New PFAS Rules
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is modifying the Toxic Substances Control Act regulation imposing reporting and recordkeeping requirements for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to delay the reporting period by eight months, JD Supra reports. The rule, as finalized last year, included a reporting window that would have opened on November 12, 2024, and closed for most companies on May 8, 2025. EPA is now delaying the submission period by eight months. With this delay, the reporting period will open on July 11, 2025, and close for most companies on January 11, 2026. Learn more

USTR Finalizes China-Tariff Increases
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) finalized its plan to raise tariffs on a variety of goods made in China, according to Supply Chain Dive. The updated structure focuses on increased tariff rates for medical supplies. The administration initially proposed a 25% tariff on face masks–that increase will still go into effect this year, now followed by a 50% tariff in 2026. USTR took similar action on medical gloves, increasing its initial 25% tariff proposal to a 50% tariff in 2025 and a 100% tariff in 2026. The first tariff increases are set to go into effect on September 27. Learn more

FDA Investigating Heavy Metals in Tampons
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the agency had commissioned an investigation to evaluate metals, such as lead and arsenic, in tampons. The FDA’s actions follow concerns about tampon safety after a recent study found metals in tampons during laboratory testing. The small pilot study tested 16 metals in 30 tampons from 14 tampon brands and 18 product lines from major online retailers and stores in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Greece, Cleaning & Maintenance Management reports. Learn more

Biden Won’t Block Potential Strike at East Coast Ports
President Biden doesn’t intend to invoke a federal law to prevent a port strike on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico if dockworkers fail to secure a new labor contract by an October 1 deadline, according to Reuters. The International Longshoremen’s Association, negotiating on behalf of workers at three-dozen U.S. ports from Maine to Texas that handle about half of the nation’s ocean imports, has repeatedly warned that its members are prepared to stop work in a week. Learn more

State News

ME, AZ to Increase Minimum Wages in 2025
Maine’s minimum wage will increase to US$14.65 per hour next year, Maine Morning Star reports. Currently, the state’s minimum wage is $14.15, but the Maine Department of Labor recently announced the 50-cent increase that will take effect January 1, 2025. The “tip wage,” or the minimum wage for service employees, will increase to $7.33 per hour. Learn more

And in Arizona, the minimum wage will rise to $14.70 next year, according to the Arizona Capitol Times. Learn more