State Recycling Reform Act places new obligations on producers; Ecology outlines timeline and county implications

Kara, a Department of Ecology presenter, briefed the Clallam County Solid Waste Advisory Committee on the Recycling Reform Act and what the new law will require of producers, service providers and the agency.

"It's a program similar to e-cycle or PaintCare where the Recycling Reform Act establishes an extended producer responsibility program where the producers of packaging, consumer packaging, must take responsibility for the end of life management of their products," Kara said. She stressed the law covers consumer packaging and residential recycling programs, not industrial, commercial or institutional recycling.

Kara described how the program will be administered: producers will join or form a nonprofit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that contracts with service providers and reimburses eligible costs; Ecology will oversee the startup and perform rulemaking, studies and enforcement. "The PRO will have to develop and implement a program plan, reimburse service…