|
Welcome to our first monthly Organics Management Law message. These monthly communications will include updates, news, and resources to use as we work together to implement the 2022 Organics Management Law.
The Organics Management Law
The Organics Management Law focuses on actions to reduce landfill emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The law sets goals to rescue 20 percent of edible food by 2025 and divert 75 percent of organic material from landfills by 2030, based on 2015 disposal levels. To help reach these goals, the law requires state and local governments, businesses, and other organizations to reduce the quantity of organic materials disposed in landfills and increase the demand for processed organic materials, like compost. The legislation also calls for an increase in edible food recovery and amends many laws affecting organics management.
Compost Procurement Ordinances (CPO)
The purpose of the compost procurement provisions in the new organics management law is to develop and strengthen markets for compost. Many counties, cities, and towns are required to adopt compost procurement ordinances and report their use of compost to Ecology. Some local governments have already adopted their ordinances and we are working with our partners statewide to assist the others to meet these new requirements.
We have updated our guidance on which jurisdictions are required to adopt CPOs, and what they need to report to Ecology.
If one of these three conditions apply to a local government, they are required to adopt a CPO:
- Counties and cities with a population of more than 25,000; or
- Counties with a population of 25,000 or fewer that contract to provide, or require the UTC-franchised hauler(s) in their county to provide residential curbside organic material collection services; or
- Cities and towns with a population of 25,000 or fewer that directly provide, contract to provide or require the UTC-franchised hauler(s) in their jurisdiction to provide residential curbside organic material collection services.
What about when…?
There are always nuances. Let’s look at some specific situations under the new guidance.
Scenario 1:
-
A city or town has curbside organics collection service and
- The population is fewer than 25,000 and
- The curbside organics collection service is provided under a requirement set by the county, i.e. the city or town does not provide the service, contract for the service or require the service be provided by their UTC-franchised hauler(s).
In this scenario, the city or town is not required to adopt a CPO.
Scenario 2:
-
A city or town has curbside organics collection service, and
- The population is less than 25,000, and
- The UTC-franchised hauler offers residential curbside organics collection service, but it is not required to by the city, the town, or the county.
In this scenario, the city or town is not required to adopt a CPO.
Scenario 3:
-
A county has curbside organics collection service, and
- The population is less than 25,000, and
- The UTC-franchised hauler offers residential curbside organics collection service, but it is not required by the county.
In this scenario, the county is not required to adopt a CPO.
What do I need to report to Ecology?
Organic material diverted from disposal
Local governments that adopt a CPO need to report the total tons of organic material diverted from disposal to Ecology.
Cities and towns required to adopt a CPO should report the following:
- Total tons of organic material collected by all curbside programs they directly provide, or contract with a hauler to provide.
- Total tons of organic material collected at drop-off sites they operate, or contract with a third-party to operate.
- Total tons of organic material collected by residential curbside programs they require the UTC-franchised hauler(s) to provide in their jurisdiction.
Counties required to adopt a CPO should report the following:
- Total tons of organic material collected at drop-off sites they operate, or contract with a third-party to operate.
- Total tons collected by residential curbside programs they contract with a hauler to provide, or they require the UTC-franchised hauler(s) to provide in their county.
To convert the volume of organic material diverted from disposal into tons, jurisdictions should use the formulas in Ecology’s General Measurement Standards and Reporting Guidelines (wa.gov).
Compost purchases
Cities and counties required to adopt a CPO should report the compost directly purchased by them and for compost purchased by contractors hired by them. This includes:
- The source or sources of the compost purchased each year.
-
The volume and cost of compost purchased each year from each source. If 100% compost is not available, jurisdictions should report the quantities and costs based on the percentage of the blended product that is compost. The cost of compost should be reported without sales tax. Ecology’s reporting form will also prompt for additional optional data like the costs of transporting and applying compost.
Cities and counties that enter into collective purchasing agreements should only report the volume and cost of the compost they purchased under those agreements for use by their jurisdictions.
Cities and counties should also report compost they produce themselves and use in public projects, or compost that is provided to them at no cost.
When do I need to report to Ecology?
The first report is due by December 31, 2024, and by December 31 in every subsequent even-numbered year – 2024, 2026, 2028, 2030 and so on.
The first report should include data for 2023. We understand 2023 reports may be incomplete because the systems needed to gather the required data may not have been in place for the full year.
Reports beginning with the one due by December 31, 2026, should include data for the two previous years broken out by year. So, the report submitted in 2026 should include annual data for 2024 and 2025, the 2028 report should include annual data for 2026 and 2027, and so on.
Ecology is developing an online system for local governments to submit their compost procurement activity reports. We expect the reporting portal to be open by July 1, 2024.
How do I learn more?
Stay Connected and Share
Click to subscribe to additional Ecology topics. You can also forward this message to share with a colleague. Thanks again for your interest in the Organics Management Law.
|
|
 |
|
