NWPSC December 2023 Newsletter

King County, Washington sent this bulletin at 12/22/2023 04:20 PM PST

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December 2023

NWPSC happy holidays

 

PROGRAMS & NEWS

Recycling report submitted to the Washington legislature
In 2023, the Washington State Legislature passed Substitute Senate Bill 5187, which directs the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) to contract a study on the recycling of consumer packaging and paper materials in Washington. The contract was awarded to Eunomia Research & Consulting, Inc. and was submitted to the Washington State Legislature in early December. The report develops recycling, reuse, and source reduction performance target rates for consumer packaging and paper material, highlights four different policy scenarios for Washington and their anticipated impacts by 2032, using 2021 baseline data, and presents input from over 2000 Washington residents on their opinions on Washington’s recycling system.

WA recycling rates scenarios  

New Report Finds Washington ranks 15th and Oregon 5th out of 50 States for Recycling Rates
The Ball Corporation and Eunomia Research & Consulting just published the “50 States of Recycling 2.0” which is based on 2021 recycling data for aluminum, glass, and PET. The report found that nine out of the ten states with the highest recycling rates have bottle bills in place and promote the implementation of recycling refund programs (like bottle bills) and EPR for packaging programs to boost recycling rates.

New data: most of the paper and cardboard in the U.S. goes to landfill
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory released new data on paper and cardboard waste at the regional, state, county, and local levels and provides various waste management strategies to improve paper recycling in their report “Paper and cardboard waste in the United States: Geographic, market, and energy assessment.” The study found that in 2019, roughly 110 million tons of paper/cardboard was managed in the U.S., of which around 56% was landfilled annually, another 6% was combusted, and only 38% was recycled. The estimated market value lost to the 56% of paper/cardboard waste being landfilled in 2019 was roughly $4 billion. 

Oregon Mattress Stewardship Program – Program Plan and Public Comments
The Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) submitted the only Mattress Stewardship Program Plan to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in September. The program plan, submitted by MRC, outlines the various program components, including implementation timeline, performance goals, project administration, budget, illegal dumping, public education, and much more. The plan also includes information on registered producers, renovators, and retailers in Oregon, along with interested collection site participants and prospective site information.  

The Oregon DEQ accepted public comments on this program plan from Oct. 5 to Nov. 24 and published these comments at the end of November. Comments were submitted from organizations and agencies such as The Bureau of Planning & Sustainability, Metro, Oregon Refuse & Recycling Association, and others.

Washington Electric Vehicle (EV) Battery Management Study
The Washington State Department of Ecology recently submitted the Electric Vehicle (EV) Battery Management Study Preliminary Report to the Washington State Legislature. This preliminary report lays out some initial research and findings regarding EV battery management and addresses key questions related to volume projections, relevant regulations, end-of-life pathways for EV batteries, economic implications, and more. The Washington State Department of Ecology is also gathering stakeholder input on EV battery management through an EV Battery Management Survey. Survey results submitted by September 29, 2023, were incorporated into the preliminary report, and responses received by January 31, 2024, will inform the findings of the final report.

Wind Turbine Blade Recycling in Washington
In early December, the Washington State University Energy Program submitted a report to the Washington State Legislature on the recycling of wind turbine blades in Washington. The report, “Wind Turbine Blade Recycling in Washington: A Feasibility Study,” analyzes the feasibility, costs, and environmental impacts of wind turbine blade disposal, the current wind turbine blade processing and availability in Washington, highlights different mechanisms to incentive the recycling of wind turbine blades, discusses potential mechanisms to establish recycling requirements and recycled content standards of wind turbine blades and provides the legislature with considerations for a state-managed product stewardship program for wind turbine blades in Washington. 

Study: EPR Programs do Strengthen Recycling
Researchers at Iowa State University, supported by the nonprofit Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences, recently published a study on extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws across the world (U.S., Canada, Europe, and China) and their effectiveness in strengthening recycling. The study found that established EPR programs around the world have increased recycling rates overall, improved recycled product quality, and reduced sortation costs. Lead author of the study, Khairun Tumu, noted in a press release that EPR “holds significant potential in elevating the quality and quantity of recycled plastics while refining the purity of the waste stream by minimizing mixed waste entry.”

 

LEGISLATION

The following bills are expected in the 2024 legislative session. 

Oregon

Non-EPR Waste and Recycling Bills

  • Right to Repair would require manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to provide access to any parts, tools, and information to diagnose, maintain, or repair their products to consumers and repair providers. 

Washington

  • The WRAP Act: EPR for Packaging and Paper Products- the Washington Recycling and Packaging (WRAP) Act would create an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system for consumer packaging and paper products. The bill also sets minimum postconsumer recycled content requirements for different packaging materials.
  • Deposit-Return System for Beverage Containers would establish a beverage container recycling and reuse system that places a 10-cent refund value on a wide range of beverage containers.  
  • Update to LightRecycle Washington would phase out mercury-containing lights and ensure that the existing  LightRecycle EPR program can continue. 

Non-EPR Waste and Recycling Bills

  • Implementing strategies to achieve higher recycling rates within Washington's existing solid waste management system (HB 1900). This bill has been prefiled for introduction in 2024.  
  • Right to Repair (HB 1933) would require manufacturers of appliances, wheelchairs, farm equipment and digital electronic equipment such as computers, cell phones and tablets, to provide access to parts, tools, and repair information about their products, which could make it easier for independent repair shops and others to repair items. This bill has been prefiled for introduction in 2024.  

 

EVENTS & WEBINARS

NWPSC Information Session – WRAP Act 2.0 - open to anyone interested 

Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act – Fourth Rulemaking Advisory Committee meeting:

RLG has three webinars: 

 

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

  • The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) is hiring for a Policy and Program Manager to work closely with the chief executive officer, the policy team, and PSI’s members and partners to conduct research, facilitate policy dialogue, and develop product stewardship and EPR policy models, programs, and legislation. The Policy and Program Manager will lead, coordinate, and collaborate on initiatives related to packaging, textiles, batteries, and other products and materials as they rise in priority for our members. View job description and application instructions.
  • The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) is hiring a Marketing & Communications Coordinator to work with the Marketing and Communications Manager and work collaboratively with all team members to promote PSI’s work. The coordinator will work closely with PSI’s government members and corporate, environmental, academic, and international partners to educate diverse stakeholder groups about EPR policies and programs and support them in advocating for producer responsibility solutions. View  job description and application instructions.

 

Engage with the Northwest Product Stewardship Council
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.