title: RCW 70A.208.050

text:
(1) The advisory council is established to review all activities conducted by producer responsibility organizations under this chapter and to advise the department and producer responsibility organizations regarding the implementation of this chapter.
(2) By January 1, 2026, the department must establish and appoint the initial membership of the advisory council. The membership of the advisory council must consist of the following:
(a) Two members representing manufacturers of covered materials or a statewide or national trade association representing those manufacturers;
(b) Two members representing recycling facilities that manage covered materials;
(c) One member representing a solid waste collection company or a statewide association representing solid waste collection companies;
(d) One member representing retailers of covered materials or a statewide trade association representing those retailers;
(e) One member representing a statewide nonprofit environmental organization;
(f) One member representing a community-based nonprofit environmental justice organization;
(g) One member representing entities that own or operate a material recovery facility;
(h) One member representing entities that own or operate a waste facility that accepts and processes compostable materials for composting or a statewide trade association that represents those facilities;
(i) One member representing an entity that develops or offers for sale covered materials that are designed for reuse or refill and maintained through a reuse or refill system or infrastructure or a statewide or national trade association that represents those entities;
(j) Three members representing government entities, with at least one member representing counties;
(k) One member representing tribal or indigenous solid waste services organizations;
(l) Two members representing other interested parties or additional members of interests represented under (a) through (k) of this subsection, as determined by the department, prioritizing representation of diverse communities, including marginalized groups, to ensure the activities carried out under this chapter reflect their perspectives;
(m) One nonvoting member representing each registered producer responsibility organization; and
(n) One nonvoting member representing the department.
(3) The department must appoint an equity subcommittee to the advisory council comprised of six representatives from overburdened communities or socially vulnerable populations, including representatives from three geographic locations in eastern Washington representing a small, medium, and large community. The equity subcommittee is responsible for informing and making recommendations to the advisory council, the department, and producer responsibility organizations regarding the impacts of activities under this chapter on socially vulnerable populations and overburdened communities, including the accessibility of covered services for covered materials to socially vulnerable populations and overburdened communities. At a minimum, the equity subcommittee must review and, as appropriate, provide information or make recommendations regarding needs assessments, submitted plans, and submitted annual reports. The department must appoint the members of the equity subcommittee based on solicited input received from the commission on African American affairs, the commission on Hispanic affairs, the commission on Asian Pacific American affairs, the LGBTQ commission, and the women's commission.
(4) In appointing members, the department:
(a) Is prohibited from appointing members who are state legislators or registered lobbyists;
(b) Is prohibited from appointing members who are employees of producers required to be members of a producer responsibility organization under this chapter; and
(c) Must endeavor to appoint members from all regions of the state.
(5)(a) The member appointed to represent the department serves at the pleasure of the department. All other members serve for a term of four years, except that the initial term for nine of the initial appointees must be two years so that membership terms are staggered. Members may be reappointed but may not serve more than eight consecutive years.
(b) A member may be removed by the department at any time. The chair of the advisory council must inform the department of a member missing three consecutive meetings. After the second consecutive missed meeting, the chair of the advisory council must notify the member in writing that the member may be removed for missing the next meeting. If there is a vacancy on the advisory council for any reason, the department shall make an appointment to become effective immediately for the unexpired term.
(6) Advisory councilmembers that are representatives of tribes, tribal or indigenous services organizations, community-based organizations, or environmental nonprofit organizations must, if requested, be compensated and reimbursed in accordance with RCW 43.03.050, 43.03.060, and 43.03.220.
(7)(a) A majority of the voting members of the advisory council constitutes a quorum. If there is a vacancy in the membership of the advisory council, a majority of the remaining voting members of the council constitutes a quorum.
(b) Action by the advisory council requires a quorum and a majority of those present and voting. All members of the advisory council, except the member appointed to represent the department and the member appointed to represent the producer responsibility organization, are voting members of the council.
(8)(a) The advisory council must meet at least two times per year and may meet more frequently upon 10 days' written notice at the request of the chair or a majority of its members.
(b) Meetings of the advisory council must comply with chapter 42.30 RCW, the open public meetings act.
(9) At its initial meeting, and every two years thereafter, the advisory council must elect a chair and vice chair from among its members.
(10) The department shall provide administrative and operating support to the advisory council, including compensation in accordance with subsection (6) of this section, and may contract with a third-party facilitator to assist in administering the activities of the advisory council, including establishing a website or landing page on the department website.
(11) The department must assist the advisory council in developing policies and procedures governing the disclosure of actual or perceived conflicts of interest that advisory councilmembers may have as a result of their employment or financial holdings with respect to themselves or family members. Each advisory councilmember is responsible for reviewing the conflict-of-interest policies and procedures. An advisory councilmember must disclose any instance of actual or perceived conflicts of interest at each meeting of the advisory council at which recommendations regarding plans, programs, operations, or activities are made by the advisory council.
[ 2025 c 316 s 105.]

catchline: Advisory council.


doc_type: statute

jurisdiction: wa

title: RCW 70A.208.060

text:
(1) The department must implement, administer, and enforce this chapter and may adopt rules as necessary for those purposes.
(2) The department must:
(a) By January 1, 2026, appoint the initial membership of the advisory council, as required under RCW 70A.208.050;
(b) Provide administrative and operating support to the advisory council, as required under RCW 70A.208.050;
(c) Consider and respond in writing to all written comments received from the advisory council;
(d) By January 31, 2026, and annually thereafter, facilitate registration by service providers, as required under RCW 70A.208.070;
(e) Beginning March 1, 2026, accept the registration of producer responsibility organizations and, if necessary, select the producer responsibility organization required by subsection (3) of this section;
(f) By October 1, 2026, develop the initial statewide collection lists required by RCW 70A.208.090;
(g) By December 31, 2026, complete the preliminary needs assessment required by RCW 70A.208.110;
(h)(i) By July 1, 2026, determine the one-time registration fee in subsection (4)(c) of this section; and
(ii) By March 31, 2026, determine the one-time payment and every March 31st thereafter determine the annual registration fee in subsection (4)(a) of this section;
(i) By December 31, 2027, and every five years thereafter, complete the statewide needs assessment required by RCW 70A.208.110;
(j) By 2028, adopt rules to administer and implement this chapter. The department shall seek to adopt rules that are harmonized with other states;
(k) Beginning October 1, 2028, and periodically thereafter, review and approve plans, as described in subsection (5) of this section;
(l) By January 31, 2029, create a model comprehensive solid waste plan amendment for use by cities and counties in lieu of updating, amending, or revising a plan consistent with RCW 70A.205.045(7)(b)(i);
(m) Beginning March 1, 2029, initiate enforcement activities with respect to noncompliant producers that are not members of the producer responsibility organization, consistent with RCW 70A.208.040(2) and 70A.208.230;
(n) Beginning July 1, 2031, and annually thereafter, review and approve annual reports, as described in subsection (6) of this section;
(o) By January 31, 2032, submit the equity study to the legislature required in RCW 70A.208.120;
(p) By September 1, 2038, submit the independent review of the program report to the legislature as required in RCW 70A.208.210;
(q) Establish statewide requirements as required under RCW 70A.208.150(10);
(r) Review and make determinations on proposals related to alternative recycling processes, as described in RCW 70A.208.150(5);
(s) Review confidentiality requests submitted under RCW 70A.208.220;
(t) Enforce the requirements of this chapter, as required by RCW 70A.208.230;
(u) Review petitions to exempt materials, as required by RCW 70A.208.090(5) and 70A.208.260; and
(v) Establish a public website that includes:
(i) The most recent registration materials submitted by producer responsibility organizations;
(ii) A list of registered service providers;
(iii) The most recent needs assessment;
(iv) Any plan or amendment submitted by a producer responsibility organization that is in draft form during the public comment period;
(v) The most recent lists under RCW 70A.208.090;
(vi) The list of exempt materials;
(vii) Links to producer responsibility organization websites;
(viii) Comments of the public, advisory council, and producer responsibility organizations on the items listed in (v)(iii) through (vi) of this subsection and, if any, the responses of the department to those comments;
(ix) The names of producers and brands that the department or a producer responsibility organization has identified as not being in compliance with the requirements of this chapter; and
(x) Links to adopted rules implementing this chapter.
(3) By March 1, 2026, if registrations for more than one producer responsibility organization, other than producers registering as producer responsibility organizations, are submitted to the department, the department must determine which proposed producer responsibility organization can most effectively implement this chapter until the first approved plan period ends. Until the conclusion of the initial plan implementation period, producers of covered materials that do not register as producer responsibility organizations must join the producer responsibility organization whose registration is approved by the department. This limitation only applies for the purposes of program development and the initial plan implementation period. For purposes of plan implementation after the first plan approved by the department expires, the department may allow registration of more than one producer responsibility organization.
(4)(a) By March 31, 2027, and every March 31st thereafter, the department must determine a total annual registration fee to be paid by each producer responsibility organization that is adequate to cover, but not exceed, the costs to implement, administer, and enforce this chapter, including the costs determined by the department of labor and industries to implement and enforce RCW 49.46.380, in the next fiscal year.
(b) By 2028, the department must adopt rules to equitably determine annual registration fees by producer responsibility organizations if the department has approved the registration of more than one producer responsibility organization;
(i) Until rules are adopted under (b) of this subsection, issue a general order to all registered producer responsibility organizations; and
(ii) Send notice to each producer responsibility organization of fee amounts due, consistent with either the general order issued under (b)(i) of this subsection or rules adopted under (b) of this subsection.
(c) The department must:
(i) In the March 31, 2027, producer responsibility organization annual registration fee determination under (a) of this subsection, adjust the fee to account for funds received that were due by September 1, 2026, under RCW 70A.208.040;
(ii) Apply any remaining annual fee payment funds from the most recently closed fiscal year to the annual fee for the coming fiscal year, if the collected annual fee exceeds the costs identified under (b) of this subsection for the most recently closed fiscal year; and
(iii) Increase annual fees for the coming fiscal year to cover the costs identified under (b) of this subsection, if the collected annual fee was less than the amount required to cover those costs for a given year.
(c) [(d)] By March 1, 2026, the department must determine the one-time payment to be paid by each producer responsibility organization that is adequate to cover, but not exceed, the costs to implement, administer, and enforce this chapter from July 27, 2025, until June 30, 2027.
(5) Within 120 days of receipt, the department must review and approve, approve with conditions, deny, or request additional information for a draft plan or draft amendment, including a contingency plan as required in RCW 70A.208.140, submitted by a producer responsibility organization or coordinating body.
(a) The department must post the draft plan or plan amendment on the department's website, notify the appropriate committees of the legislature that a draft plan has been submitted and posted, and allow public comment for no less than 45 days before approving, denying, or requesting additional information on the draft plan or amendment.
(b)(i) If the department denies or requests additional information for a draft plan or amendment, the department must provide the producer responsibility organization with the reasons, in writing, that the plan or amendment does not meet the plan requirements of RCW 70A.208.130. The producer responsibility organization has 60 days from the date that the rejection or request for additional information is received to submit to the department any additional information necessary for the department's approval. The department must review and approve or disapprove the revised draft plan or amendment no later than 60 days after the department receives it. If the department disapproves the revised plan or revised plan amendment, the department shall provide the reason, in writing, and either: (A) Direct changes to the revised plan or plan amendment; or (B) require the producer responsibility organization to submit a second revision no later than 60 days from the date of the rejection.
(ii) The department may approve the second revision submitted by the producer responsibility organization with additional conditions the producer responsibility organization must implement.
(c) The department's approval of the first producer responsibility organization plans submitted by October 1, 2028, must take effect no earlier than the adjournment of the 2029 regular legislative session, in order to allow an opportunity for the 2029 legislature to determine whether to amend the requirements of this chapter, to make other recycling policy changes including the potential establishment of a bottle deposit return program, or to allow that the proposed plan and program under this chapter be implemented in full. Nothing in this subsection (5)(c) amends or limits the duties or authorities of a producer, a producer responsibility organization, or the department under this chapter, including with respect to the timing of plan submission, plan review, or plan revision processes specified in this section, while the 2029 legislature reviews the draft plan submitted to the department as provided in this subsection. Nothing in this subsection prevents a plan from being implemented in absence of legislative action after July 27, 2025.
(d) Upon recommendation of the advisory council, or upon the department's initiative, the department may require an amendment to the plan if the department determines that an amendment is necessary to ensure that the producer responsibility organization maintains compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
(6) The department must review annual reports and:
(a) Make annual reports available for public review and comment for at least 30 days;
(b) Review within 120 days of receipt of a complete annual report;
(c) Determine whether an annual report meets the requirements of this chapter, considering comments received under (a) of this subsection, and notify the producer responsibility organization of the approval or reasons for denial. The producer responsibility organization must submit a revised annual report within 60 days after receipt of a denial letter; and
(d) Notify a producer responsibility organization if the annual report demonstrates that a plan fails to achieve the requirements under this chapter.
(7) Upon request of the department for purposes of determining compliance with this chapter, or for purposes of implementing this chapter, a person must furnish to the department any information that the person has or may reasonably obtain.
[ 2025 c 316 s 106.]

license: public-domain-government-work

rule_set: Revised Code of Washington

catchline: Duties of department.

code: rcw

unit: section

court: Washington State Legislature


title: RCW 70A.208.070

text:
(1) By January 31, 2026, and annually thereafter, each service provider that intends to seek reimbursement for services provided under an approved plan must register with the department by submitting the following information:
(a) The contact information for a person representing the service provider;
(b) The address of the service provider;
(c) Identification of service areas where covered services are to be provided to covered entities;
(d) Identification of the covered services to be provided to covered entities, by service area; and
(e) If applicable to services provided, a report of the number of covered entities currently provided service, the number of covered entities eligible to receive service, and the total amount billed for collection for covered entities, processing services, transfer station operations provided, and tons managed during the preceding calendar year, by covered entity type and by service area. When possible, values must be separated for collection, transfer, and processing.
(2)(a) Material recovery facilities receiving covered materials collected from covered entities must register as service providers as described in subsection (1) of this section and must report annually to the department by commodity type and covered material type, in a form and format created by the department, on the following:
(i) Tons received and processed, by jurisdiction and service provider;
(ii) Inbound material quality and contamination;
(iii) Outbound material quality and contamination;
(iv) Outbound material tons, destinations, and final use by commodity type, including each destination company and location. If exported outside of the United States, the destination country must be listed. Beginning in 2031, material recovery facilities must submit certification, for each destination to which commodities containing covered materials were sent, that the destination is a responsible market;
(v) Methods of managing contaminants and residue to avoid negative impacts on other waste streams or facilities;
(vi) Residuals, including residue rate, composition, and disposal location;
(vii) Any violations of existing permits, regarding emissions to air and water, and the status of those permit violations; and
(viii) Labor metrics including wages, unions, and workforce demographics.
(b) All data reported by material recovery facilities under this subsection must, at the request of the department, be audited by an independent third party.
(c) The requirements of (a) and (b) of this subsection do not apply to any facility operated by a scrap metal business as defined in RCW 19.290.010 that holds a current scrap metal license unless the covered materials were received directly from collection services for which a producer responsibility organization has provided reimbursement.
[ 2025 c 316 s 107.]

catchline: Service provider registration.


title: RCW 70A.208.080

text:
A service provider receiving reimbursement or funding under an approved plan must:
(1) Provide covered services for covered materials included on the statewide collection lists, covered services for a refill system, or covered services for reusable covered materials, as applicable to the services offered by and service area of the service provider;
(2) Register annually with the department;
(3) Submit invoices to the producer responsibility organization for reimbursement for services rendered;
(4) Meet performance standards established in an approved plan;
(5) Ensure that covered materials are sent to responsible markets;
(6) Provide documentation to the producer responsibility organization of the amounts, covered material types, and volumes of covered materials by covered service method;
(7) Display the service provider's price, minus the reimbursement from the producer responsibility organization, when invoicing customers and, in delivering curbside collection services, pass on the applicable portion of the reimbursement, through solid waste rate reductions or credits, to all customers receiving curbside collection services eligible for reimbursement; and
(8) Comply with all other applicable requirements of this chapter.
[ 2025 c 316 s 108.]

catchline: Service provider responsibilities.


title: RCW 70A.208.090

text:
(1)(a) The department must develop lists of covered materials determined to be recyclable or compostable statewide. By October 1, 2026, the department must develop initial lists for use and evaluation in the needs assessment described in RCW 70A.208.110. The department must also publish lists no later than 30 days after approving a plan, taking into account proposed changes in the plan. In the development of the lists, the department must distinguish between:
(i) Materials determined to be suitable for residential recycling collection, whether in a commingled or in a separate container;
(ii) Materials determined to be suitable for residential composting collection;
(iii) Materials suitable for public place collection; and
(iv) Materials suitable for alternative collection.
(b) In determining whether a material is suitable for residential, public place, or alternative collection, the department may consider any combination of the following criteria:
(i) The stability, maturity, accessibility, and viability of responsible markets;
(ii) Environmental health and safety considerations;
(iii) The anticipated yield loss for the material during the recycling or composting process;
(iv) The material's compatibility with existing recycling infrastructure;
(v) Whether the material adheres to published design guidelines for recyclability or compostability;
(vi) The amount of the material available;
(vii) The practicalities of sorting and storing the material;
(viii) The potential to cause or be impacted by contamination;
(ix) The ability for waste generators to easily identify and properly prepare the material;
(x) Economic factors;
(xi) Environmental factors from a life-cycle perspective;
(xii) The policy expressed in RCW 70A.205.010; or
(xiii) Other criteria or factors, as determined by the department.
(2) A producer responsibility organization may propose a covered material for addition to or removal from the lists under this section as part of a plan or as a plan amendment. In considering the proposal, the department may consider the same criteria as those established under subsection (1)(b) of this section.
(3) In developing lists under this section, the department must consult with the advisory council, producer responsibility organizations, service providers, government entities, and other interested parties. The department must consider any requests received for the inclusion or removal of a covered material or covered material type on a list under this section. The department may select a third-party consultant to assist with the development of the lists.
(4)(a) Except as described in (b) of this subsection and subsection (5) of this section, a material that is not identified as suitable for residential collection may not be collected as part of a residential recycling program.
(b) A covered material that is not identified as suitable for residential collection may be temporarily collected as part of a residential recycling program and qualify for reimbursement if:
(i) The covered material is collected as part of a pilot program agreed to by the service provider, the government entity under whose authority the service is provided, and the producer responsibility organization;
(ii) The pilot program is of limited duration; and
(iii) The pilot program is conducted in a limited area.
(5) For purposes of the first plan implementation period, a group of producers representing a majority of a distinct covered material type or distinct packaging type may petition the department, prior to the department finalizing a list under this section, to consider designating that material or packaging as suitable for multiple modes of collection other than commingled residential, depending on location. The department may grant a petition that is submitted at least six months prior to the publication of the lists and that justifies why different methods are appropriate in different jurisdictions based on the factors specified in subsection (1)(b) of this section.
[ 2025 c 316 s 109.]

catchline: Statewide collection lists.


title: RCW 70A.208.100

text:
(1) Collection services for covered materials determined to be suitable for residential recycling collection under RCW 70A.208.090 must be available wherever residential garbage collection services are available, except in areas subject to a county ordinance as specified in RCW 70A.205.045(7)(b)(i)(C).
(2) An alternative collection program or programs for each covered material included on the alternative collection list must be provided under a plan. For purposes of the first plan implementation period, an alternative collection program may be proposed by a producer responsibility organization, a group of producers with a petition granted by the department under RCW 70A.208.090(5), or a majority of producers of a unique product type whose packaging is designated for alternative collection. A proposal under this subsection must be submitted at the same time as the plan, and is subject to the same approval process as the plan. An alternative collection program must:
(a) Provide year-round, convenient, statewide collection opportunities, including at least one drop-off collection site located in each county;
(b) Provide tiers of service for collection, convenience, number of drop-off collection sites, and additional collection systems based on:
(i) County population size;
(ii) County population density; and
(iii) Each class of city or town under chapter 35.01 RCW;
(c) Ensure materials are sent to responsible markets;
(d) Use education and outreach strategies that can be expected to significantly increase consumer awareness of the program throughout the state; and
(e) Accurately measure the amount of each covered material collected and the applicable performance target and statewide requirement.
(3) A plan for an alternative collection program must include:
(a) The number, type, and location of each collection opportunity;
(b) A description of how each of the program requirements in (a) of this subsection will be met; and
(c) Performance targets for each covered material, as applicable, to be managed through an alternative collection program.
(4) Every subsequent needs assessment after the first needs assessment must include a review of alternative collection programs for each covered material on the statewide alternative collection list to determine if the program is meeting the criteria established in subsection (2) of this section.
(5) A retail establishment may choose to serve as a drop-off location or collection event as part of an alternative collection program, through mutual agreement with a producer responsibility organization or group of producers implementing an alternative collection program.
(6) Any group of producers, other than the producer responsibility organization registered with the department, that manages an approved alternative collection plan during the first plan implementation period must:
(a) Be exclusively responsible for management of the distinct material, packaging, or product type covered by that plan and may thereby wholly or partially offset the producers' payment obligations under this chapter with respect to the distinct material, packaging, or product type only; and
(b) Comply with all requirements applicable to a producer responsibility organization under this chapter, other than requirements determined by the department not to be relevant to the group of producers as a result of the producers' need to only manage a distinct material, packaging, or product type rather than multiple types of materials, packaging, or product types.
[ 2025 c 316 s 110.]


title: RCW 70A.208.110

text:
(1)(a) By December 31, 2026, the department must complete a preliminary assessment consistent with subsection (3) of this section.
(b) By December 31, 2027, and every five years thereafter, the department must complete a needs assessment consistent with subsection (4) of this section. The department may adjust the required content in a specific needs assessment to inform the next plan.
(2) In conducting a needs assessment, the department must:
(a) Initiate a consultation process to obtain recommendations from the advisory council, government entities, service providers, producer responsibility organizations, the utilities and transportation commission, and other interested parties, regarding the type and scope of information that should be collected and analyzed in the needs assessments required by this section;
(b) Contract with a third party who is not a producer, a producer responsibility organization, or a member of the advisory council to conduct the needs assessment;
(c) At least 90 days prior to finalizing the needs assessment, make the draft needs assessment available for comment by the advisory council, producer responsibility organizations, the utilities and transportation commission, jurisdictions planning under chapter 70A.205 RCW, and the public. The advisory council must have the opportunity to review drafts of the needs assessment and accompanying data used in the needs assessment. The department must respond in writing to the comments and recommendations of the advisory council and producer responsibility organizations; and
(d)(i) Consider information from studies related to recycling conducted by the department after 2019; and
(ii) Use the department's statewide collection lists for covered materials as established under RCW 70A.208.090.
(3) A preliminary needs assessment must be completed for a preceding period of no less than 12 months and no more than 36 months that includes:
(a) Identification of currently or recently introduced covered materials and covered material types;
(b) Tons of collected covered materials;
(c) An evaluation of what services related to the requirements of this chapter are currently being delivered in each county and city planning under chapter 70A.205 RCW and what the costs are for those existing services, including:
(i) The availability and types of recycling services for covered materials for residents in single-family and multifamily residences, including whether current services are considered residential or commercial and whether any gaps, costs, or needs are specific to either commercial or residential customer service;
(ii) The current methods and infrastructure for servicing residents, including curbside recycling service areas and material drop-off locations;
(iii) Any densely populated areas within each jurisdiction in which curbside recycling services for covered materials identified by the department on the list developed and published under RCW 70A.208.090 are not available or are only partially available;
(iv) Any areas within each jurisdiction where curbside garbage collection services are offered to residents in single-family and multifamily residences but curbside recycling services are not offered;
(d) Processing capacity at material recovery facilities, including total tons processed and sold, composition of tons processed and sold, current technologies utilized, and facility processing fees charged to collectors delivering covered materials for recycling;
(e) Capacity of compost facilities, including total tons processed and sold, technology used by, and characteristics of compost facilities to process and recover compostable covered materials, and facility processing fees charged to collectors delivering covered materials for composting;
(f) Capacity and number of drop-off collection sites, and the materials collected at those drop-off collection sites;
(g) Capacity and number of transfer stations and transfer locations;
(h) Average term length and variability of residential recycling and composting collection contracts issued by government entities and an assessment of contract cost structures;
(i) An estimate of the total annual collection and processing service costs based on registered service provider costs;
(j) Available markets in Washington for covered materials and the capacity of those markets; and
(k) Covered materials introduced by volume, weight, and covered material types introduced by producers.
(4) Each needs assessment after the preliminary needs assessment must include at least the following:
(a) An evaluation of:
(i) Existing waste reduction, refill, reuse, recycling, and composting outcomes, as applicable, for each covered material type, including collection rates, recycling rates, composting rates, reuse rates, and return rates, as applicable, for each covered material type;
(ii) The overall recycling rate, composting rate, reuse rate, and return rate for all covered material types; and
(iii) The extent to which postconsumer recycled content, by the best estimate, is or could be incorporated into each covered materials type, as applicable, including a review of North American sources and markets and technical barriers to incorporating postconsumer materials into covered materials. For plastic covered materials, postconsumer recycled content must be measured by rigid plastic resin type and by film or flexible plastic;
(b) An evaluation of covered materials in the disposal, recycling, and composting streams to determine the covered materials types and amounts within each stream, using new studies conducted by the department or publicly available and applicable studies;
(c) Proposals for a range of outcomes for each covered materials type to be accomplished within a five-year time frame in multiple units of measurement including, but not limited to, unit-based, weight-based, and volume-based, for each of the following:
(i) Plastic source reduction rates;
(ii) Reuse rates and return rates;
(iii) Recycling rates;
(iv) Composting rates; and
(v) Postconsumer recycled content, if applicable;
(d) Proposals for a range of outcomes for the categories established in RCW 70A.208.150(10) that consider:
(i) Information contained in or used to prepare a needs assessment under this section;
(ii) Goals and requirements of chapters 70A.205 and 70A.245RCW;
(iii) The statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits of chapter 70A.45 RCW;
(iv) The need for continuous progress toward:
(A) Overall reduction in the generation of covered material waste;
(B) The reuse, recycling, or composting of covered materials to reduce environmental impacts and human health impacts; and
(C) Progress to incorporate postconsumer content to replace virgin materials and to support more regional markets;
(v) A preference for statewide requirements that accomplish and further the goals and requirements in (d)(ii), (iii), and (iv) of this subsection as soon as practicable and to the maximum extent achievable; and
(vi) Information from paper and packaging producer responsibility programs operating in other jurisdictions;
(e) An evaluation of the criteria used for developing the lists of covered materials determined to be recyclable or compostable statewide as established in RCW 70A.208.090;
(f) Recommended collection methods by covered materials type to maximize collection efficiency, maximize feedstock quality, and optimize service and convenience for collection of covered materials to be considered or that are included on lists established in RCW 70A.208.090, or for which a group of producers has been granted a petition by the department under RCW 70A.208.090(5);
(g) Proposed plans and metrics for how to measure progress in achieving performance targets and statewide requirements;
(h) An evaluation of options for third-party certification of activities to meet obligations of this chapter;
(i) An inventory of the current system, including:
(i) Infrastructure, capacity, performance, funding level, and method and source of financing for the existing covered services for covered materials operating in the state;
(ii) An estimate of total annual costs of covered services based on registered service provider costs; and
(iii) Availability and cost of covered services for covered materials to covered entities and any other location where covered materials are introduced, including identification of disparities in the availability of these services in overburdened communities compared with other areas and to socially vulnerable populations as compared to other populations and proposals for reducing or eliminating those disparities;
(j) An evaluation of investments needed to increase waste reduction, refill, reuse, recycling, and composting rates of covered materials according to the range of proposed performance targets and statewide requirements, including what new or expanded services and infrastructure are needed in each county and city planning under chapter 70A.205 RCW, and the estimated total costs of investments needed, that would also:
(i) Maintain or improve operations of existing infrastructure and account for waste reduction, refill, reuse, recycling, and composting of covered materials statewide;
(ii) Expand the availability and accessibility of recycling collection services for covered materials to all places required under this chapter and expand the availability and accessibility of composting collection services where feasible; and
(iii) Establish and expand the availability and accessibility of reuse services for reusable covered materials;
(k) A recommended methodology for applying criteria and formulas to establish reimbursement rates as described in RCW 70A.208.170;
(l) An assessment of the viability and robustness of markets for recyclable and compostable covered materials and the degree to which these markets can be considered responsible markets;
(m) An assessment of the level and causes of contamination of source separated recyclable materials, source separated compostable materials, and collected reusables, and the impacts of contamination on service providers and on commodity values of covered material types, including the cost to manage this contamination;
(n) An assessment of toxic substances intentionally added to or residual from manufacturing in covered materials, whether this limits one or more covered material types from being used as a marketable feedstock, and best practices producers can implement to reduce intentionally added or residual toxic substances in covered materials that could be verified through suppliers' certificates of compliance, testing, or other analytical and scientifically demonstrated technology;
(o) An assessment and evaluation of current best practices and efforts on:
(i) Public awareness, education, and outreach activities accounting for culturally responsive materials and methods and an evaluation of the efficacy of those efforts;
(ii) Using product or packaging labels as a means of informing consumers about environmentally sound use and management of covered materials;
(iii) Increasing public awareness of how to use and manage covered materials in an environmentally sound manner and how to access waste reduction, refill, reuse, recycling, and composting services; and
(iv) Encouraging behavior change to increase participation in waste reduction, refill, reuse, recycling, and composting programs;
(p) Identification of the covered materials with the most significant environmental impacts, including assessing each covered material's generation of hazardous waste, generation of greenhouse gases, environmental justice impacts, public health impacts, and other impacts;
(q) Recommendations for meeting the criteria for an alternative collection program; and
(r) Other items identified by the department that would aid the creation of the plan, the implementation of the plan, and the enforcement of this chapter.
(5) The department or its contracted third party may conduct voluntary interviews with service providers of curbside recycling or composting services or recycling or composting processing services within a jurisdiction on costs for additional infrastructure, vehicles, staff, equipment, and other investments to achieve the range of outcomes proposed under subsection (4)(c) and (d) of this section.
(6) When determining the extent to which any statewide requirement or performance target under this chapter has been achieved, information contained in a needs assessment must serve as the baseline for that determination, when applicable.
(7)(a) A service provider or other person with data or information necessary to complete a needs assessment must provide the data or information to the department upon request.
(b) A service provider or other person providing the data or information may submit a request to the department consistent with RCW 70A.208.220 that the data or information be considered confidential and not made public.
(c) The contractor conducting the needs assessment must aggregate and anonymize the nonpublic data or information, excluding location data as necessary to assess needs, received from all parties under this section and must then include the aggregated anonymized data in the needs assessment.
[ 2025 c 316 s 111.]

catchline: Statewide needs assessments.


title: RCW 70A.208.120

text:
(1) By January 31, 2032, the department must complete a study, conducted by a contracted third party that is not a producer or producer responsibility organization, of facilities operating in the state that manage covered materials and at facilities operating in the state that receive covered materials as recycled feedstock. The study must analyze, at a minimum, information about:
(a) Working conditions, wage and benefit levels, workforce development effects, and employment levels of minorities and women at those facilities;
(b) Barriers to ownership of recycling, composting, and reuse operations faced by women and minorities;
(c) The degree to which residents of multifamily buildings have less convenient access to recycling, composting, and reuse opportunities than those living in single-family homes;
(d) The degree to which individuals living in overburdened communities have access to fewer recycling, composting, and reuse opportunities compared to other parts of the state;
(e) The degree to which programs to increase access, convenience, and education are successful in raising reuse, recycling, and composting rates in areas where participation in these activities is low. This must include an evaluation of the efficacy of activities under RCW 70A.208.190 that are conceptually, linguistically, and culturally tailored to effectively reach diverse residents, and which such activities could be adjusted or improved to achieve improved outcomes for specific areas or sectors where participation is low;
(f) Strategies to increase participation in reuse, recycling, and composting; and
(g) The degree to which residents and workers in overburdened communities are impacted by emissions, toxic substances, and other pollutants from solid waste facilities in comparison to other areas of the state and recommendations to mitigate those impacts.
(2) Producer responsibility organizations registered under this chapter must cover the cost of conducting the study through the fees charged by the department to the producer responsibility organizations, and recommended actions identified in the study must be considered for inclusion as part of future plans required under this chapter, including adjustments to service provider reimbursements under RCW 70A.208.170.
[ 2025 c 316 s 112.]

catchline: Equity study.


title: RCW 70A.208.130

text:
(1) By October 1, 2028, and every five years thereafter, each registered producer responsibility organization must submit a plan to the department that describes the proposed operation by the organization of programs to fulfill the requirements of this chapter and that incorporates the findings and results of needs assessments.
(2) A producer responsibility organization must submit a draft plan or draft amendment to the advisory council at least 60 days prior to submitting to the department to allow the advisory council to submit comments and must address advisory council comments and recommendations prior to the submission of the draft plan or draft plan amendment to the department.
(3) A draft plan must include at a minimum:
(a) Performance targets established under RCW 70A.208.150 as applicable to each covered materials type to be accomplished within a five-year period;
(b) Any proposals for additions or removals of covered materials to the lists established under RCW 70A.208.090;
(c) A description of the methods of collection, how collection service convenience metrics in RCW 70A.208.100 will be met, and a description of processing infrastructure and covered services to be used for each covered materials type for persons and locations receiving services, at a minimum, and how these will meet the performance targets established in RCW 70A.208.150 for covered materials that are:
(i) Included or proposed to be included on lists established in RCW 70A.208.090;
(ii) Reusable covered materials managed through a reuse system; and
(iii) Capable of refill and managed through a refill system;
(d) A description of how, for each covered materials type, the producer responsibility organization will measure recycling, plastic source reduction, reuse, composting, and the inclusion of postconsumer recycled content, in accordance with the methodology established in RCW 70A.208.150;
(e) Third-party certifications as required by the department or voluntarily undertaken;
(f) A budget identifying funding needs for each of the plan's five calendar years, producer fees, a description of the process used to calculate the fees, and an explanation of how the fees meet the requirements of RCW 70A.208.160;
(g) A description of infrastructure investments, including:
(i) Goals and outcomes and a description of how the process to offer and select investments will be conducted in an open, competitive, and fair manner;
(ii) How the infrastructure investments will address gaps in the system not met by service providers; and
(iii) Potential financial and legal instruments to be used;
(h) An explanation of how the plan will be paid for by the producer responsibility organization solely through fees from producers. This restriction does not apply to refundable deposits made in connection with a product's refill, reuse, or recycling that can be redeemed by a consumer;
(i) A description of activities to be undertaken by the producer responsibility organization during each year to:
(i) Minimize the environmental impacts and human health impacts of covered materials, including assessing each covered material type's generation of hazardous waste, generation of greenhouse gases, environmental justice impacts, public health impacts, and other impacts;
(ii) Foster the improved design of covered materials, as identified under RCW 70A.208.160(2)(c);
(iii) Provide funding to expand and increase the convenience of waste reduction, refill, reuse, collection, recycling, and composting services to covered entities, at a minimum, according to the order of the state's solid waste management hierarchy established in RCW 70A.205.005;
(iv) Provide for reimbursement rates to service providers for statewide coverage of covered services on the lists established in RCW 70A.208.090; and
(v) Monitor to ensure that postconsumer materials are delivered to responsible markets;
(j) A description of how the producer responsibility organization will promote the opportunity for all service providers to register with the department and to submit invoices for reimbursement with the producer responsibility organization;
(k) A description of how the program will reimburse service providers under an approved plan including, but not limited to, a description of how the program will establish:
(i) A methodology to calculate differentiated reimbursement rates as provided in RCW 70A.208.160 and 70A.208.170;
(ii) A process for service providers to submit invoices and be reimbursed for covered services provided to covered entities;
(iii) Clear and reasonable timelines for reimbursement, at intervals no longer than monthly unless agreed to by a service provider and a producer responsibility organization; and
(iv) A process that utilizes a third-party mediator to resolve disputes that arise between the producer responsibility organization and a service provider regarding the determination of reimbursement rates and payment of reimbursements;
(l) Performance standards for service providers as applicable to the service provided including, but not limited to:
(i) Requirements that service providers must accept all covered materials on the applicable list established by the department under RCW 70A.208.090(1)(a);
(ii) Requirements that service providers must offer residential recycling collection for materials on the applicable list established by the department under RCW 70A.208.090(1)(a) to covered entities wherever they offer residential garbage collection services, except in areas subject to a county ordinance as specified in RCW 70A.205.045(7)(b)(i)(C);
(iii) Requirements that service must be provided in a manner consistent with the requirements of: (A) Chapter 70A.205 RCW for curbside collection services of source separated recyclable materials from residences; and (B) chapter 81.77 RCW;
(iv) Requirements that service providers must manage covered materials in a manner consistent with the state's solid waste management hierarchy established in RCW 70A.205.005; and
(v) Requirements that service providers comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing health and safety;
(m) A requirement that owners or operators of a material recovery facility that manages over 25,000 tons annually of covered materials under this chapter must comply with the compensation requirements specified in RCW 49.46.380;
(n) A description of how the producer responsibility organization will treat and protect nonpublic data submitted by service providers;
(o) A description of how the producer responsibility organization will provide technical assistance to:
(i) Service providers in order to assist them in delivering covered materials to responsible markets;
(ii)(A) Producers regarding intentionally added toxic substances and residual toxic substances from manufacturing in covered materials; (B) best practices identified in the needs assessment that producers can take to reduce intentionally added or residual toxic substances in covered materials; and (C) best practices for verifying reduction through suppliers' certificates of compliance, testing, or other analytical and scientifically demonstrated methodology; and
(iii) Producers to make changes in product design that reduce the environmental impact of covered materials or that increase the recoverability or marketability of covered materials for reuse, recycling, or composting;
(p) A description of how the producer responsibility organization will increase public awareness, educate, and complete outreach activities that meet the requirements of RCW 70A.208.190 and will evaluate the efficacy of these efforts;
(q) A description of how the producer responsibility organization will reduce or eliminate disparities in the availability to socially vulnerable populations of covered services for covered materials;
(r) Proposed alternative collection programs as required under RCW 70A.208.100;
(s) A description of how producers can purchase postconsumer materials from service providers at market prices if the producer is interested in obtaining recycled feedstock to achieve minimum postconsumer recycled content performance targets and statewide requirements;
(t) A summary of consultations held with the advisory council and other interested parties to provide input to the plan, a list of recommendations that were incorporated into the plan as a result, and a list of rejected recommendations and the reasons for rejection;
(u) Strategies to incorporate findings from any relevant studies required by the legislature; and
(v) Any other information required by the department by rule.
(4) Consistent with the process established in RCW 70A.208.060(5), the department may only approve a draft plan submitted by a producer responsibility organization that meets the requirements of this section. The department shall not approve a draft plan that does not satisfy each criteria required of a plan under this section including, but not limited to, a plan that does not reduce or eliminate disparities in the availability to socially vulnerable populations of covered services for covered materials.
[ 2025 c 316 s 113.]


title: RCW 70A.208.140

text:
(1) A producer responsibility organization must submit to the department a contingency plan demonstrating how the activities in the plan will continue to be carried out by some other entity, such as an escrow company, if needed:
(a) Until such time as a new or updated plan is submitted and approved by the department;
(b) Upon the expiration of an approved plan;
(c) If the producer responsibility organization notifies the department that it will cease to implement an approved plan; or
(d) In any other event that the producer responsibility organization can no longer carry out plan implementation.
(2) The contingency plan must be submitted to the department as a component of the producer responsibility organization's initial plan. The department may require a producer responsibility organization to revise the contingency plan coincident with any plan submittal.
(3) The requirements of this section do not require a producer responsibility organization to hold funds in a dedicated account until such time as the contingency plan must be implemented.
(4) The department must follow the same process and timelines for reviewing and approving the contingency plan as it follows for the plan.
[ 2025 c 316 s 114.]

catchline: Producer responsibility organization—Contingency plan.


title: RCW 70A.208.150

text:
(1) Each producer responsibility organization must propose performance targets based on the needs assessment that meet the statewide requirements in subsection (10) of this section that must be included in an approved plan. Performance targets must include reuse rates, return rates, recycling rates for materials delivered to responsible markets, composting rates, and targets for plastic source reduction and postconsumer recycled content by covered materials type, as applicable. For products for which postconsumer recycled content rates are established in RCW 70A.245.010 through 70A.245.050 and 70A.245.090 (1), (2), and (4), those rates must be included in an approved plan. The producer responsibility organization must propose the unit or units that are most appropriate to measure each performance target as informed by the needs assessment.
(2) The department may require that a producer responsibility organization obtain third-party certification of any activity or achievement of any performance target required by this chapter if a third-party certification is readily available, deemed applicable, and of reasonable cost. The department must provide the producer responsibility organization with notice of at least one year prior to requiring use of third-party certification under this subsection.
(3) Proposed targets must demonstrate continuous improvement in reducing environmental impacts and human health impacts of covered materials over time.
(4) For purposes of determining whether recycling performance targets are being met, except as modified by the department, a plan must provide a methodology for measuring the amount of covered material sent for recycling at the point at which material leaves a material recovery facility or other processing facility and must account for:
(a) Levels and types of estimated contamination documented by the facility;
(b) Any exclusions for fuel or energy capture; and
(c) Compliance with all state laws pertaining to toxic substances in covered materials.
(5)(a) The department must, in consultation with representatives from overburdened communities, the advisory council, service providers, municipalities, state agencies, alternative recycling technology providers, and others, approve or deny a proposal by a producer responsibility organization to count towards recycling performance targets the materials sent to facilities that use an alternative recycling process for conversion of plastic covered materials for the purpose of producing recycled material.
(b) The department must establish a process by which a producer responsibility organization may annually propose to count towards recycling performance targets the materials sent to a facility that uses an alternative recycling process.
(c) The department may only approve the producer responsibility organization's proposal to count towards recycling performance targets the materials sent to a facility that uses an alternative recycling process if the department determines that the alternative recycling process:
(i) Does not include combustion, fuel production, and other forms of energy recovery of plastic covered materials in processing or disposal;
(ii) Provides protection for the environment and human health with consideration of inputs and outputs, including as measured against all of the following criteria:
(A) Environmental release of air and water pollutants or any hazardous pollutants;
(B) Generation of hazardous waste;
(C) Energy use and generation of greenhouse gases;
(D) Environmental impacts on overburdened communities and socially vulnerable populations;
(E) Water usage including, but not limited to, impacts to local water resources and sewage infrastructure;
(F) Public health impacts; and
(G) Capture and recycling rates;
(iii) Reduces gaps in collection, recycling, and composting services at covered entities;
(iv) Meets an unmet need in the state that will result in meeting recycling performance targets, including creating new recycling markets for materials currently disposed of in landfills or incinerated;
(v) Provides third-party certification of recycled content; and
(vi) Addresses those other environmental impacts as determined by the department.
(d)(i) In making its determination under (c) of this subsection, the department must take into consideration any local, state, or federal environmental permitting requirements that govern the operation of an alternative recycling process that reduces air and water pollutants or the generation of hazardous waste or pollutants. The department must also take into consideration whether the alternative process produces food-grade or pharmaceutical-grade recycled content.
(ii) The department must publish a determination on the producer responsibility organization's proposal, detailing why it was approved or denied and how it measured against the criteria listed in (c) of this subsection. The department must also conduct a public review process for at least 60 days.
(e) A person may appeal a decision by the department under (d) of this subsection to the pollution control hearings board.
(f) The department must, no more frequently than every five years, require the producer responsibility organization to provide any updated information deemed necessary that demonstrates that an approved alternative recycling process is continuing to meet the requirements of this section. If the facility fails to meet the requirements of this section, the department shall prohibit the producer responsibility organization from counting material sent to the alternative recycling facility towards recycling performance targets.
(g) Nothing in this chapter prohibits or affects the use of any alternative recycling process for products or packaging that are not covered materials under this chapter.
(6) For purposes of determining whether plastic source reduction performance targets are being met, a plan must provide a methodology for measuring the amount of plastic source reduction of covered materials in a manner that can be used to determine the extent to which the amount of material used for a covered material can be reduced to what is necessary to efficiently deliver a product without damage or spoilage, or other means of covered material redesign to reduce overall use and environmental impacts and maintain recyclability, compostability, or reusability. No more than eight percent of a producer responsibility organization's plastic source reduction performance target may be met by switching from virgin covered material to postconsumer recycled content through a sliding scale alternative compliance formula developed by the department based on the ratio of virgin plastic to postconsumer recycled plastic. For producers subject to the postconsumer recycled content requirements of chapter 70A.245 RCW, the postconsumer recycled content used to comply with those requirements may be credited towards the plastic source reduction performance target, subject to the eight percent limit.
(7) For purposes of determining whether reuse performance targets are being met, a plan must provide a methodology for measuring the amount of reusable covered materials at the point at which reusable covered materials meet the following criteria as demonstrated by the producer and approved by the department whether the:
(a) Average minimum number of cycles of reuses within a recognized reuse system has been met based on the number of times an item must be reused for it to have lower environmental impacts than the single-use versions of those items based on accepted industry standards; and
(b) Demonstrated or research-based anticipated return rate of the covered material to the reuse system has been met.
(8) For purposes of determining whether postconsumer recycled content performance targets are being met under this chapter, a plan must provide a methodology for measuring postconsumer recycled content across all producers for a covered materials type where producers may determine their postconsumer recycled content based on their United States market territory if state-specific postconsumer recycled content is impractical to determine.
(9) For other performance targets, the producer responsibility organization must propose methodologies for review and approval as part of the plan based on findings from the needs assessment.
(10)(a) The department must establish statewide requirements and a date by which those requirements must be met for each of the following categories:
(i) Recycling rate;
(ii) Composting rate;
(iii) Reuse rate;
(iv) Return rate;
(v) The percentage of covered materials introduced that must be plastic source reduced; and
(vi) The percentage of postconsumer recycled content that covered materials must contain, including an overall percentage for all covered materials, as applicable, excluding compostable materials that cannot include postconsumer recycled content due to unique chemical or physical properties or health or safety requirements that prohibit introduction of postconsumer recycled content.
(b) The department may use the following information and criteria when establishing statewide requirements under (a) of this subsection:
(i) The needs assessment;
(ii) The goals and requirements of chapter 70A.205 RCW;
(iii) The greenhouse gas emissions limits of chapter 70A.45 RCW;
(iv) The need for continuous progress towards overall reduction in the generation of covered materials waste, the reuse, recycling, or composting of covered materials to reduce environmental impacts and human health impacts, and progress to incorporate postconsumer recycled content to replace virgin materials and support more regional markets;
(v) A preference for statewide requirements that accomplish and further the goals and requirements in (b)(ii) through (iv) of this subsection as soon as practicable and to the maximum extent achievable; and
(vi) Information from packaging and paper product producer responsibility programs operating in other jurisdictions.
(c) The department must consult with producer responsibility organizations on establishing statewide requirements, submit proposed statewide requirements for review by the advisory council, and consider the advisory council's recommendations before finalizing the statewide requirements.
(d) Every five years, the department must review the statewide requirements established under this subsection. If the department decides an update is not warranted at that time, the department must submit the reasoning to the advisory council and consider the advisory council's recommendations before making a final decision. If the department decides an update is warranted, the department must follow the process specified in (b) and (c) of this subsection.
(e) Producer responsibility organizations must ensure the statewide requirements are met.
[ 2025 c 316 s 115.]

catchline: Producer responsibility organization—Performance targets.


title: RCW 70A.208.160

text:
(1) A registered producer responsibility organization may charge each member producer a fee according to each producer's unit-based, weight-based, volume-based, or sales-based market share or by another method it determines to be an equitable determination of each producer's payment obligation, so that the aggregate fees charged to member producers are sufficient to pay the producer responsibility organization's costs in full until the producer responsibility organization has an approved plan.
(2) A producer responsibility organization with an approved plan must annually collect a fee from each member producer that must:
(a) Vary based on the total amount of covered materials each producer introduces in the prior year calculated on a per unit basis, such as per ton, per item, or another unit of measurement;
(b) Reflect program costs for each covered materials type, net of commodity value for that covered materials type when used as a recycled material, as well as allocated fixed costs that do not vary based on covered materials type. Any membership fees charged for different covered material types, materials, and formats must:
(i) For covered materials that are on the statewide lists established under RCW 70A.208.090, be proportional to the costs to the producer responsibility organization for that covered material type, covered material, or format; and
(ii) Discourage the use of covered materials that are not on the statewide lists established under RCW 70A.208.090;
(c) Incentivize using materials and design attributes that reduce the environmental impacts and human health impacts of covered materials by:
(i) Eliminating intentionally added toxic substances or residual toxic substances from manufacturing in covered materials;
(ii) Reducing the amount of:
(A) Packaging per individual covered material that is necessary to efficiently deliver a product without damage or spoilage and without reducing its ability to be recycled or composted; and
(B) Paper used to manufacture individual paper products;
(iii) Increasing the amount of covered materials managed in a reuse system;
(iv) Increasing the proportion of postconsumer material in covered materials;
(v) Enhancing the recyclability or compostability of a covered material;
(vi) Increasing the amounts of inputs derived from renewable and sustainable sources without reducing its ability to be recycled; and
(vii) Other means, as approved by the department;
(d) Discourage using materials and design attributes in covered materials whose environmental impacts and human health impacts can be reduced by the methods listed in (c) of this subsection;
(e) Prioritize reuse by charging covered materials that are managed through a reuse system only once, upon initial entry into the marketplace; and
(f) Generate revenue sufficient to pay in full:
(i) The fee to the department required under RCW 70A.208.060;
(ii) The financial obligations to complete activities described in an approved plan and to reimburse service providers under RCW 70A.208.170;
(iii) The funding required under RCW 70A.208.040 for the reuse financial assistance program;
(iv) The operating costs of the producer responsibility organization; and
(v) For establishment and maintenance of a financial reserve that is sufficient to operate the program in a fiscally prudent and responsible manner.
(3) Revenues collected under this section that exceed the amount needed to pay the costs described in subsection (2)(f) of this section must be used to improve or enhance program outcomes or to reduce producer fees according to provisions of an approved plan.
(4) Fees collected from producers under this chapter may not be used for lobbying or political advocacy activities that would require reporting under chapter 42.17A RCW or under the federal election campaign act, 2 U.S.C. chapter 14.
[ 2025 c 316 s 116.]

catchline: Producer fees.


title: RCW 70A.208.170

text:
(1) The reimbursements provided for covered services to covered entities under an approved plan must only be provided to service providers that, at a minimum, meet the performance standards established under an approved plan.
(2)(a) A plan must provide a methodology for reimbursement rates for covered services for covered materials, exclusive of exempt materials. The methodology for reimbursement rates must consider estimated revenue received by service providers from the sale of covered materials based on relevant material indices and incorporate relevant cost information identified by the needs assessment. Reimbursement rates must be annually updated and reflect the net costs for covered services for covered materials from entities receiving services under this chapter, at a minimum. Reimbursement rates must be established equivalent to net costs, using a methodology in an approved plan as follows:
(i) No less than 50 percent of the net costs by February 15, 2030;
(ii) No less than 75 percent of the net costs by February 15, 2031; and
(iii) No less than 90 percent of the net costs by February 15, 2032, and each year thereafter.
(b) Reimbursement rates must be based on the following, as applicable by the service provided:
(i) The cost to collect covered material for recycling, a proportional share of composting, or reuse adjusted to reflect conditions that affect those costs, varied by region or jurisdiction in which the covered services are provided including, but not limited to:
(A) The number and type of covered entities;
(B) Population density;
(C) Collection methods employed;
(D) Distance traveled by collection vehicles to consolidation or transfer facilities, to reuse, recycling, or composting facilities, and to responsible markets;
(E) Other factors that may contribute to regional or jurisdictional cost differences;
(F) The proportion of covered compostable materials within all source separated compostable materials collected or managed through composting; and
(G) The general quality of covered materials collected by service providers;
(ii) The cost to transfer collected covered materials from consolidation or transfer facilities to reuse, processing, recycling, or composting facilities or to responsible markets;
(iii) The cost to:
(A) Sort and process covered materials for sale or use and remove contamination from covered materials by a recycling or composting facility, minus the average fair market value for that covered material based on market indices for the region; and
(B) Manage contamination removed from collected covered material;
(iv) The administrative costs of service providers, including education, public awareness campaigns, and outreach program costs as applicable; and
(v) The costs of covered services for a refill system or covered services provided for reusable covered materials and management of contamination.
(c) A service provider retains all revenue from the sale of covered materials unless otherwise agreed upon by the service provider. Nothing in this chapter may restrict a service provider from charging a fee for covered services for covered materials to the extent that reimbursement from a producer responsibility organization does not cover all costs of services, including continued investment and innovation in operations, operating profits, and returns on investments required by a service provider to provide sustainability of the services.
(d) Reimbursement rates may be calculated per ton, by household, or by another unit of measurement.
(3)(a) Nothing in this section may be construed to require a government entity to agree to operate under a plan. Any government entity that is also a service provider is eligible to be registered with the department and reimbursed per the rates and schedule established in accordance with this section.
(b) Nothing in this chapter restricts the authority of a political subdivision of the state to provide waste management services to residents, to contract with any entity to provide waste management services, or to exercise its authority granted under RCW 35.21.120, 35.21.130, 35.21.152, or 36.58.040. A producer responsibility organization may not restrict or otherwise interfere with a government entity exercising its authority under RCW 35.21.120, 35.21.130, 35.21.152, or 36.58.040 to organize collection of solid waste, including materials collected for recycling or composting, or to extend, renew, or otherwise manage any contracts entered into as a result of exercising such authority or otherwise resulting from a competitive procurement process.
(4) A producer responsibility organization must establish a dispute resolution process utilizing third-party mediators for disputes related to reimbursements.
[ 2025 c 316 s 117.]

catchline: Service provider reimbursement.


title: RCW 70A.208.180

text:
(1) For infrastructure investments, a producer responsibility organization must use a competitive bidding process and publicly post bid opportunities, except that preference must be given to existing facilities and providers of services in the state for waste reduction, refill, reuse, collection, recycling, and composting of covered materials.
(2) A producer or producer responsibility organization may not own or partially own infrastructure that is used to fulfill obligations under this chapter, except in the following circumstances:
(a) A producer may hold an ownership stake in infrastructure used to fulfill obligations under this chapter as long as the stake was held before July 27, 2025, and the ownership stake is fully disclosed by the producer to the producer responsibility organization;
(b) After a bidding process described in subsection (1) of this section under which no service provider bids on the contract, the producer responsibility organization may make infrastructure investments to implement the requirements of this chapter; or
(c) A producer or producer responsibility organization may own or partially own infrastructure that is used solely for purposes of the reuse financial assistance program or as needed to fulfill an individual plan or alternative collection program.
(3) The direct or indirect receipt of funds from a producer responsibility organization under this chapter does not confer any inherent ownership or interest in any asset or company to which funds are directed and does not confer any inherent right to control use of any asset or company operations.
[ 2025 c 316 s 118.]

catchline: Infrastructure investments.


title: RCW 70A.208.190

text:
(1) A producer responsibility organization must develop and maintain a public website that uses best practices for accessibility and contains, at a minimum:
(a) Information regarding a process that members of the public may use to contact the producer responsibility organization with questions;
(b) A directory of all service providers operating under the plan administered by the producer responsibility organization, grouped by location or government entity;
(c) Registration materials submitted to the department;
(d) The draft and approved plan and any draft and approved amendments;
(e) The list of exempt materials under this chapter;
(f) Current and all past needs assessments;
(g) Annual reports submitted to the department by the producer responsibility organization;
(h) A link to administrative rules implementing this chapter;
(i) Comments of the advisory council on the documents listed in (d) and (f) of this subsection and the responses of the producer responsibility organization to those comments;
(j) A list, updated at least monthly, of all member producers that will operate under the plan administered by the producer responsibility organization and, for each producer, a list of all brands of the producer's covered materials; and
(k) Education materials on waste reduction, refill, reuse, recycling, and composting for producers and the general public.
(2) A producer responsibility organization must implement education and outreach activities that are conceptually, linguistically, and culturally tailored to effectively reach diverse residents and include culturally responsive materials and methods that rely on evidence-based practices, are accessible, clear, and support the achievement of the performance targets, including by developing and providing educational materials, resources, and campaigns that encourage and support recycling, composting, and reuse behaviors by residents and visitors. Activities must:
(a) Assist producers in improving product labels as a means of informing consumers about refill, reuse, recycling, composting, and other environmentally sound methods of managing covered materials;
(b) Increase public awareness of how to use and manage covered materials in an environmentally sound manner and how to access waste reduction, refill, reuse, recycling, and composting services;
(c) Encourage behavior change to increase participation in waste reduction, refill, reuse, recycling, and composting programs including by considering motivational structures for recycling and reuse by engaging local communities in the design and implementation of programs and developing community-led solutions that are tailored to their specific cultural practices and waste generation patterns;
(d) Reduce resident confusion regarding the appropriate solid waste collection container or end-of-life management option for each type of covered material; and
(e) Develop and provide education and outreach materials that are able to be used by retail establishments, collectors, government entities, service providers, schools, institutions, youth organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Outreach materials must be accessible in multiple languages and culturally appropriate formats including by reaching non-English-speaking communities and by using a variety of tailored media and behavior change strategies.
(3) A producer responsibility organization must coordinate with registered service providers and any government entities that choose to participate in carrying out education and outreach consistent with the plan.
[ 2025 c 316 s 119.]

catchline: Education and outreach.


title: RCW 70A.208.200

text:
(1) By July 1, 2031, and each July 1st thereafter, a producer responsibility organization must submit an annual report to the department that contains, at a minimum, the following information for the previous calendar year:
(a) The amount of covered materials introduced, by covered materials type, reported in the same units used to establish producer fees under this chapter;
(b) Progress made toward the performance targets reported in the same units used to establish producer fees under this chapter, and reported statewide and for each county, including:
(i) The amount of covered materials successfully source reduced, reused, recycled, and composted by covered materials type and the strategies or collection methods used; and
(ii) Information about third-party certifications obtained;
(c) The total cost to implement the program and a detailed description of program expenditures by category, including:
(i) The total amount of producer fees collected;
(ii) A description of infrastructure investments made; and
(iii) A breakdown of reimbursements by covered services, entities receiving covered services, and regions of the state;
(d) A copy of a financial audit of program operations conducted by an independent auditor approved by the department that meets the requirements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board's Accounting Standards update 2016-14, not-for-profit entities (Topic 958), as it existed as of January 1, 2025, or an updated standard as required by the department by rule;
(e) A description of the program performance problems that emerged in specific locations and efforts taken or proposed by the producer responsibility organization to address them;
(f) A discussion of technical assistance provided to producers regarding toxic substances in covered materials and actions taken by producers to reduce intentionally added toxic substances and residual toxic substances from manufacturing in covered materials beyond compliance with prohibitions already established in law;
(g) A description of public awareness, education, and outreach activities undertaken, including any evaluations conducted of their efficacy, plans for next calendar year's activities, and an evaluation of the process established by the producer responsibility organization to answer questions from consumers regarding collection, recycling, composting, waste reduction, and reuse activities;
(h) A description, which includes quantitative measurements, of changes in levels of access to covered services for covered materials by socially vulnerable populations relative to levels of access to and participation in covered services for covered materials by socially vulnerable populations prior to the implementation of the first plan under this chapter;
(i) A summary of consultations held with the advisory council and how any feedback was incorporated into the report as a result, together with a list of rejected recommendations and the reasons for rejection;
(j) A list of producers found to be out of compliance with this chapter and actions taken by the producer responsibility organization to return producers to compliance, and notification of any producers that are no longer participating in the producer responsibility organization or who have been expelled due to their lack of compliance;
(k) Proposed amendments to the plan to improve program performance or reduce costs, including changes to producer fees, infrastructure investments, or reimbursement rates;
(l) Recommendations for additions or removals of covered materials to or from the recyclable or compostable covered materials lists established under RCW 70A.208.090; and
(m) Information requested by the department to evaluate the effectiveness of the program as it is described in the plan and to assist with determining compliance with this chapter.
(2) A producer responsibility organization that fails to meet a performance target approved in a plan must, within 90 days of filing an annual report under this section, file with the department an explanation of the factors contributing to the failure and propose an amendment to the plan specifying changes in operations, including education and outreach, that the producer responsibility organization will make that are designed to achieve the performance targets. If a performance target is unmet due to the lack of government entity participation in the program, the department may revise the statewide requirements. If a revision to the statewide requirements is completed by the department, the producer responsibility organization may revise the performance targets at the same time. An amendment filed under this subsection must be reviewed by the advisory council and approved by the department in the manner specified in RCW 70A.208.060.
[ 2025 c 316 s 120.]

catchline: Producer responsibility organization—Annual report.


title: RCW 70A.208.210

text:
(1)(a) By January 1, 2028, the department must contract with an independent consultant to carry out a one-time ex-ante analysis of each draft plan submitted to the department by October 1, 2028, that addresses:
(i) The impact of the proposed program on the consumer prices of covered materials and items sold with covered materials;
(ii) The impacts of the proposed program on environmental justice, as defined in RCW 70A.02.010, and on the availability and convenience of recycling, composting, and reuse services, including specific analysis of the availability and convenience of recycling, composting, and reuse services used by socially vulnerable populations and in overburdened communities; and
(iii) Whether and how a beverage container deposit return program could be established as a complement to the proposed plan, and designed in a manner that would improve on the performance targets and program outcomes proposed in the plan and in a manner that would improve accessibility and convenience to recycling options for beverage containers.
(b) The analysis must be informed by input from stakeholders and informed by experience from other jurisdictions.
(c) The analysis must be completed and submitted to the department by January 15, 2029.
(d) The department's contract with the independent consultant must allow the consultant to begin its analysis prior to the submission of the draft plan on October 1, 2028. The department must require a producer responsibility organization to cooperate and share information with the independent consultant hired by the department to facilitate the consultant being able to complete its analysis in time to allow for consideration by the 2029 legislature.
(e) The department must notify the appropriate committees of the legislature upon the completion of the analysis under this subsection (1).
(2) By September 1, 2038, the department must contract with an independent consultant to analyze the impacts of the initial seven years of program implementation and must submit a report summarizing the analysis to the appropriate committees of the legislature. The analysis must include the effects of the program on:
(a) Solid waste, composting, or recycling costs;
(b) Recycling rates, reuse rates, postconsumer recycled content rates, source reduction rates, and composting rates; and
(c) The availability and convenience of recycling, composting, and reuse services, including specific analysis of the availability and convenience of recycling, composting, and reuse services used by socially vulnerable populations.
(3)(a) The independent consultant, for purposes of the independent review of the program carried out under this section, may review:
(i) Information submitted to the department under RCW 70A.208.200; and
(ii) Producer or producer responsibility organization data or information pertinent to the program.
(b) The independent consultant must treat confidential records in a manner consistent with the department's policy under RCW 70A.208.220.
(4) To the extent that sufficient state-level data is not available to complete the analyses required in subsection (2) of this section, the independent consultant may review data or studies from states with similar programs.
[ 2025 c 316 s 121.]

catchline: Independent review of program.


title: RCW 70A.208.220

text:
A producer responsibility organization, service provider, material recovery facility, organic material management facility, responsible market, or other entity that submits information or records to the department under this chapter may request that the information or records, including data related to business profits, service rates, fees, or business expenses or private data on individuals, be made available only for the confidential use of the department, the director of the department, the appropriate division of the department, or the independent consultant carrying out the independent review of the program in RCW 70A.208.210. The director of the department must consider the request and if this action is not detrimental to the public interest and is otherwise in accordance with the policies and purposes of chapter 43.21A RCW, the director must grant the request for the information to remain confidential as authorized in RCW 43.21A.160.
[ 2025 c 316 s 122.]

catchline: Confidential information submission.


title: RCW 70A.208.230

text:
(1)(a) The department may administratively impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation per day on any producer who violates this chapter and up to $10,000 per violation per day for the second and each subsequent violation.
(b) For a producer out of compliance with the requirements of this chapter, the department shall provide written notification and offer information. For the purposes of this subsection, written notification serves as notice of the violation. The department must issue at least one notice of violation by certified mail prior to assessing a penalty and the department may only impose a penalty on a producer that has not met the requirements of this chapter 60 days following the date the written notification of the violation was sent.
(2)(a) The department may administratively impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation per day on any producer responsibility organization that violates this chapter and up to $10,000 per violation per day for the second and each subsequent violation.
(b) The department may, in addition to assessing the penalties provided in (a) of this subsection, take any combination of the following actions:
(i) Issue a corrective action order to a producer responsibility organization;
(ii) Issue an order to a producer responsibility organization to provide for the continued implementation of the program in the absence of an approved plan;
(iii) Revoke the producer responsibility organization's plan approval and require implementation of the contingency plan;
(iv) Require a producer responsibility organization to revise or resubmit a plan within a specified time frame; or
(v) Require additional reporting related to the area of noncompliance.
(c) Prior to taking an action described in this subsection, the department must provide the producer responsibility organization an opportunity to respond to or rebut the written finding upon which the action is predicated.
(3) A person may not sell or distribute in or into the state a covered material of a producer that is not participating in a producer responsibility organization or that is not in compliance with the requirements of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter.
(a) The department shall serve, or send with delivery confirmation, a written warning explaining the violation to a person distributing or selling covered materials of a producer that is not in compliance with this chapter.
(b) The department may assess a penalty on a person that continues to sell or distribute covered materials of a producer that is in violation of this chapter 60 days after receipt of the written warning under this subsection. The amount of the penalty that the department may assess under this subsection is twice the value of the covered materials sold in violation of this chapter or $500, whichever is greater. The department must waive the penalty upon verification that the person has discontinued distribution or sales of the covered material within 30 days of the date the penalty is assessed.
(4) Any person who incurs a penalty or receives an order may appeal the penalty or order to the pollution control hearings board established in chapter 43.21B RCW.
(5) Penalties levied under this section must be deposited in the recycling enhancement account created in RCW 70A.245.100.
(6) Upon receipt of a request from the advisory council, the department must consider the appropriateness of the use of enforcement authority authorized in this section.
[ 2025 c 316 s 123.]

catchline: Enforcement authority—Penalties.


title: RCW 70A.208.240

text:
(1) The department shall contract with an independent consultant to conduct two studies on the potential statewide impacts of a recycling refunds program, also known as a beverage container deposit return system, in Washington state. The studies must prioritize equity, accessibility, and community perspectives.
(2) The consultant, in coordination with the department, shall lead a community engagement process in at least three geographically diverse areas of the state with a high concentration of socially vulnerable or overburdened populations, as identified by the department consistent with RCW 70A.02.010. The results of this engagement process must be submitted to the legislature by January 1, 2027. The engagement process must:
(a) Solicit input on access to recycling and redemption services, local infrastructure needs, and community priorities related to convenience and equity;
(b) Assess consumer sentiment, awareness, and perceptions of a recycling refunds program, including perceived benefits, barriers to participation, and potential economic impacts, particularly for low-income households;
(c) Include:
(i) Community input sessions in overburdened communities;
(ii) Outreach to local governments, tribal governments, environmental justice and equity organizations, producers, recycling system operators, and other relevant stakeholders; and
(iii) Engagement with individuals and organizations concerned about the economic impacts of a recycling refunds program, particularly on low-income consumers; and
(d) Develop recommendations to ensure that a recycling refunds program is equitably accessible, convenient, and responsive to community needs across all regions of the state.
(3) In the same three regions required to be identified under subsection (2) of this section, the consultant shall evaluate and model what convenient access to redemption services would look like, with respect to the types of express and full-service redemption sites. The results of this engagement process must be submitted to the legislature by January 1, 2026. This analysis must at a minimum consider:
(a) The availability of suitable infrastructure for redemption services that include reusable packaging;
(b) Accessibility via public transportation;
(c) Colocation opportunities with existing waste or recycling facilities; and
(d) Strategies to reduce transportation burdens on residents in rural, remote, and underserved communities.
(4) The department shall submit the consultant's findings and recommendations to the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate by January 1, 2026, for the study completed in subsection (3) of this section and January 1, 2027, for the study completed in subsection (2) of this section.
(5) Registered producer responsibility organizations under RCW 70A.208.030 are responsible for payment of the department's cost to complete these studies as part of the one-time payment due to the department on September 1, 2026, under RCW 70A.208.030(4).
[ 2025 c 316 s 124.]

catchline: Study of deposit return system.


title: RCW 70A.208.250

text:
(1) It is the intent of the legislature that if a bottle deposit return system is enacted in the future, it will be harmonized with this chapter in a manner that ensures that:
(a) Materials covered in that system are exempt from this chapter or related financial obligations are reduced;
(b) Colocation of drop-off collection sites is maximized;
(c) Education and outreach are integrated between the two programs; and
(d) Waste reduction and reuse strategies are prioritized between the two programs.
(2) Any implementation of a bottle deposit return system must include a two-year transition period before the expiration of the currently approved plan and be conducted in a manner that does not create sudden and significant operational or financial disruption to the implementation of a plan under this chapter, including provisions of recycling or reuse services contained in the plan.
[ 2025 c 316 s 125.]