Ecology outlines Recycling Reform Act, urges service providers to register by Jan. 30

Dan Weston, statewide recycling coordinator at the Washington Department of Ecology, gave a high-level briefing to the Thurston County Solid Waste Advisory Committee on the Recycling Reform Act and what counties and service providers should expect in the coming months.

“The program is focused on packaging and paper products that are sold to Washington consumers,” Weston said, describing the law’s scope and distinguishing it from business-to-business recycling. He told the committee the law establishes extended producer responsibility (EPR): producers will join or contract with a producer-responsibility organization (PRO) to fund residential and public-place recycling service and related startup costs.

Weston described a sequence of near-term tasks Ecology is leading: four studies (including a deposit-return modeling study), a statewide recycling materials list and two needs assessments. He said the first phase of one study was released for public review and that the statewide list is due Oct. 1 (with a preliminary needs assessment due Dec. 31). Weston advised that Ecology will open rulemaking early next year and that a CR-101…