The bill establishes a new chapter, CHAPTER 18.19, titled "TEXTILE RECYCLING," within Title 23 of the General Laws of Rhode Island. It includes definitions related to textile recycling, the roles of the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation and the Department of Environmental Management, and specifies the types of textiles eligible for recycling. The Department of Environmental Management, in collaboration with the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, is required to create a public education outreach program to inform residential households and commercial businesses about the value of and proper methods for recycling textiles in the state.

Additionally, the bill mandates that beginning January 1, 2028, all private entities involved in textile collection must provide the Department with annual reports on the estimated total tonnage of textiles collected. The Department will use this data, along with municipal textile data, to establish benchmark goals for the tonnage of municipal and commercial textiles collected, starting January 1, 2029, with the possibility of annual adjustments. The Department is also responsible for formulating and promulgating rules and regulations related to textile waste collection and recycling, with a deadline for public reporting of these regulations by June 1, 2026. The Department may enforce these regulations and impose fines or penalties as established. The act will take effect upon passage.