USA
TRSA recently hosted a Northeast Regional Meeting that included a stadium tour, meeting and baseball game at Citi Field, the home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets. The programme, on 1 September, started with a tour of Citi Field followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium and lunch. Twenty-five members, including many next-generation leaders, attended the event to learn more about federal and state legislative and regulatory issues.
The meeting started with TRSA’s retained New York Legislative Counsel Evan Stavisky, founding partner and president, The Parkside Group giving insight into the New York state political and legislative landscape such as the impact of the midterm elections on labour and environmental issues and congestion pricing, as well as tax and other potential issues impacting the linen, uniform and facility services markets.
Kevin Schwalb, TRSA’s vice president of government relations, highlighted federal regulatory issues including recent OSHA Heat and Injury/Illness National Emphasis Program and pending rules, as well as potential state and federal programs regarding zero-emission fleet requirements reflecting recent California regulations. Schwalb further discussed the industry’s most pressing potential regulatory issue pertaining to elimination of PFAS from drinking water and the impact on POTWs and laundry discharge.
“PFAS is going to have an enormous impact on the industry, while not exactly what PERC was to drycleaners, the linen, uniform and facility services industry will be looked at to reduce PFAS in the waste stream,” said Schwalb.
Joseph Ricci, TRSA president & CEO, offered insight into several TRSA initiatives including the release of the TRSA Member Toolkit of customisable print and digital marketing materials developed from consumer and customer research. “These materials provide the industry with easy-to-use materials and common language around hygiene and environmental and supply-chain sustainability,” said Ricci, about these key messages that resonate with consumers and customers alike and communicate the industry’s essential services and the importance of reusable textiles for employee and consumer safety and image.
Following the meeting, participants were treated to a baseball game between first-place teams the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. The Mets won 5-3.
