NWPSC May 2021 Newsletter

King County, Washington sent this bulletin at 05/21/2021 08:11 AM PDT

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May 2021

Washington State passes plastic pollution law
graphic of washington senate bill 5022

In a bill signing ceremony at the Seattle Aquarium on May 17, Governor Inslee signed into law SB 5022 to reduce plastic pollution and improve recycling (final text of the bill as passed).

The new law bans expanded polystyrene (EPS) peanuts, coolers and foodware; requires businesses to provide single-use utensils, cups, lids and other foodware only upon customer request; and ensures that plastic beverage bottles, household cleaning and personal care bottles, plus trash bags, contain minimum levels of post-consumer recycled content. These elements will be phased in from 2022 to 2024.

While Washington is the sixth state in the nation to adopt a statewide ban on expanded polystyrene products, it is also the most far-reaching. The law is also the first in the nation to comprehensively require people to "opt-in" for single-use foodware (utensils, cup lids, and condiments), and the first law to require recycled content in household cleaning and personal care containers.

Read the press release from state Senate Democrats, and the press release from supporting organizations Zero Waste Washington, Environment Washington, Latino Community Fund of Washington, Oceana, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, the Seattle Aquarium, and the Surfrider Foundation. NBC, The Stranger, KING5, Skagit Valley Herald, and the Surfrider Foundation covered the news.

Legislation

Washington 2021 session ended April 25:
In addition to SB 5022, two other bills related to product stewardship passed.

Safe Medication Return: HB 1161, which makes adjustments to the existing Safe Medication Return law that began statewide collection recently, was signed into law.

Solar PV module stewardship delay: HB 1393, which delays by another two years, until 2025, the implementation of the photovoltaic (PV) module stewardship and takeback program (enacted in 2017), was signed into law.

Bills that did not pass this year:

Right to Repair: HB 1212, concerning the fair servicing and repair of digital electronic products, was heard in the House Consumer Protection & Business committee but did not move forward by the cutoff. Right to Repair legislation has been introduced, but not passed, each year since 2017.

Wind turbine blade recycling: SB 5174, which would require manufacturers to finance the takeback and recycling of wind turbine blades, passed the Senate Environment committee, Ways & Means committee, and but did not pass the Senate by the cutoff.

Visit Zero Waste Washington to learn more about other recycling and waste management legislation.

Oregon product stewardship bills (session runs to June 28):
Modernizing Oregon's recycling system: SB 582-A is the result of the Recycling Steering Committee (RSC), which convened for two years to modernize Oregon's recycling system. The bill would require producers of covered products to join a producer responsibility organization, submit a program plan to DEQ, and to reimburse local governments for certain expenses, among other requirements of a statewide EPR system for consumer brands and packaging producers. The bill had a hearing and a work session, passed out of committee and awaits Ways & Means. The National Law Review and OPB covered the legislation which has become SB 582-A.

Mattress stewardship: SB 570 had a hearing, passed out of committee, and awaits Ways & Means. 

HHW stewardship: HB 2955, which establishes a product stewardship program for household hazardous waste (HHW), had a hearing, passed out of committee March 29 and awaits Ways & Means. 

Right to Repair: HB 2698 had a hearing but did not move out of committee by the cutoff.

Programs & News

Clean Materials as an Economic Enginecenter for sustainable infrastructure clean materials webinar May 25
Join the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure, CleanTech Alliance, and industry leaders on May 25 to talk about how a clean materials industry can create a new economic engine in the Pacific Northwest. The new Clean Materials paradigm offers a whole new approach to waste and recycling. Clean materials companies reimagine product design, manufacturing processes, supply chains, and reuse-repair-recycling systems to prevent waste, slash unwanted impacts, and create good jobs. Register for the May 25, 10-11:45am webinar.

PaintCare Washington recycling paint
The long awaited statewide paint producer responsibility program operated by PaintCare, enacted in 2019, and overseen by the Dept. of Ecology, began April 1, 2021! Since April 1, PaintCare has set up 153 drop-off locations throughout the state where the public can take unwanted paint for recycling, and collected 40,000 gallons of paint. These sites are available to households, businesses, government agencies, and others with leftover paint in Washington. Visit www.PaintCare.org/wa to find a location near you. The Columbian, Skagit Valley Herald, and Clark County Talk covered the new paint recycling program.

FTC report may boost Right to Repair
A new report to the U.S. Congress by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Nixing the Fix: An FTC Report to Congress on Repair Restrictions, is critical of manufacturers' justifications for repair restrictions. The U.S. PIRG Right to Repair Campaign Director wrote that the report "strongly supports our argument that there is no good reason for companies to keep blocking repair access." Resource Recycling wrote that the report "may boost efforts in state legislatures to pass a right-to-repair law mandating OEMs provide the parts, tools and information needed to repair electronics." The report was lauded by repair groups and consumer advocacy organizations who support right to repair laws like those considered but not passed this year in both Washington and Oregon. Extreme Tech wrote that the report "blasts manufacturers excuses," while Consumer Reports wrote that "manufacturers are making repairs too hard for consumers."

Plastic now considered toxic under Canadian environmental protection act
Under rules proposed in October 2020, "Canada will ban six single-use plastic items, like straws and six-pack rings, create incentives for companies to use recycled plastic, and force plastic producers to pay for recycling." On May 12, the Canadian government added "plastic manufactured items to Schedule 1" of the environmental protection act, which will allow the government "to implement our proposed ban of certain harmful single-use plastics, make producers responsible for their plastic waste, and introduce recycled content standards." The "toxic" designation drew criticism from the plastics industry.

Events & Webinars

Engage with the Northwest Product Stewardship Counciltwitter icon 30x30
Add your voice and join the Northwest Product Stewardship Council (NWPSC) as an Associate, Steering, or Community member.
Follow the NWPSC on Twitter (@StewardshipNW) for product stewardship information from Washington, Oregon and elsewhere.

Northwest Product Stewardship Council (NWPSC)The Northwest Product Stewardship Council (NWPSC) is a coalition of government agencies in Washington and Oregon working on solid waste, recycling, resource conservation, environmental protection, public health and other issues. Together with non-government agencies, businesses and individuals, we form a network that supports product stewardship and extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies and programs. For more information, contact info@productstewardship.net or visit us at www.ProductStewardship.net.

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