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Committee reviews bill to expand recycled‑content requirements for plastics
Summary
Staff briefed members on substitute HB 22‑71, which would add new product categories to Washington's post‑consumer recycled content (PCRC) requirements, require third‑party certification beginning in 2030, and raise penalties for noncompliance; supporters said it drives demand for recycled plastics while some manufacturers and trade groups urged coordination with recently enacted EPR implementation.
Committee staff summarized substitute House Bill 22‑71 as an expansion of Washington's post‑consumer recycled content (PCRC) law. The substitute would add new categories of rigid plastic packaging and film products, require registration and reporting, and, beginning in 2030, mandate third‑party certification of PCRC content. It would also increase the penalty for missing PCRC targets from $0.20 to $0.40 per pound.
Staff said the bill is structured to be revenue neutral for Ecology because producer fees would cover program administration; Ecology's rulemaking costs would be reimbursed through producer fees. Proponents (recyclers, Seattle Public Utilities, Waste Washington and national recycling nonprofits) argued that demand for recycled content is necessary to keep recycling markets functioning and that Washington's recycling reforms and PCRC requirements are complementary.
Manufacturers and trade associations including consumer electronics, household products and packaging groups raised concerns about overlap with the recently enacted Recycling Reform Act (EPR) and potential duplication of reporting, costs for third‑party certification, and product‑specific exemptions; some urged delaying mandatory targets until EPR implementation is underway.
The committee collected public testimony from local utilities, recyclers, manufacturers and industry groups and did not take a vote at the hearing.
