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Ecology outlines five-year exemption route as Whitman County weighs organics compliance
Summary
Department of Ecology said many jurisdictions are pursuing five-year exemptions from the 2027 organics requirement; exemptions are conditional and require demonstrable forward progress (for example, increased weeks of curbside service) to qualify for future relief.
Department of Ecology staff told Whitman County's Solid Waste Advisory Committee that jurisdictions can seek conditional five-year exemptions from the 2027 organics requirement, but those exemptions require evidence of forward progress to earn future extensions.
"We're now in the 1st rounds of receiving a handful of exemptions from jurisdictions going for the 2027 requirement," Steven Gimple said. He described the exemption as roughly a five-year period with requirements, and he urged counties to document forward progress (such as increasing collection weeks) so future exemptions remain possible.
Committee members raised operational concerns that make compliance challenging in rural census tracts, including long distances for curbside service and lack of nearby composting or anaerobic-digestion facilities. "I can't fathom how we're gonna resolve servicing curbside in the census tract areas that far out of Pullman," Steven said, noting facility gaps and the need for practical collection depots or alternative approaches.
Ecology staff offered technical assistance and suggested counties can ask Ecology for an informal review before formal resubmission. The committee discussed practical responses such as offering voluntary year-round service, siting local drop-off depots in census tracts, and pursuing interlocal agreements to share services.
