NWPSC February 2024 Newsletter

February 2024

PROGRAMS & NEWS

Respond to E-Cycle Washington Local Government/Community Satisfaction Survey by March 1st and Receive Partial Funding for Outreach Campaigns
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the Washington Materials Management & Financing Authority (WMMFA) released a survey for local governments and community members to provide their thoughts on the E-Cycle Washington program and its performance. Please respond to the survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F35G8RM) by March 1st.

The responses to the survey will be shared with the WMMFA as they identify ways to improve the program. WMMFA’s Program Plan for 2024 – 2028 was approved by Ecology. It includes more collaboration with local governments and others. Local governments can request partial funding of outreach campaigns that promote recycling of computers, monitors and televisions. Requests can be made here.   

Seattle Bans Batteries and Electronics in Garbage
As of the start of 2024, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) banned the disposal of batteries and certain electronic products in the Seattle municipal solid waste stream. Many batteries and electronic products contain heavy metals and other hazardous substances that, if improperly disposed of, can leak into the environment and pose a significant risk to human health. As well, certain types of batteries have the potential to cause fires when improperly disposed of, which can put solid waste workers in danger. Batteries and electronics also contain many valuable recyclable materials that can be reclaimed for further use. 

RMA: PRO Program Plans Due End of March with Circular Action Alliance as the Only Remaining PRO in Oregon
PRO program plans are due to the Oregon DEQ on March 31, 2024, after which there will be a 120-day program plan review process. Four prospective PROs initially submitted letters of intent to become a PRO in Oregon, but three of the four have subsequently withdrawn their letters (AmeriPRO, H2 Compliance, and Reverse Logistics Group). This leaves Circular Action Alliance (CAA) as the only prospective PRO with an active letter of intent in Oregon. As well, the producer responsibility organization GreenDot recently announced their decision to cease operations in North America, leaving CAA as the clear leader in the U.S. packaging PRO arenas as CAA has also already been chosen to operate as the PRO for Colorado and California’s EPR for packaging program. 

Recycling Modernization Act (RMA): Oregon DEQ Issues Guidance on Eco-modulated Fees 
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (OR DEQ) published guidance on eco-modulated fees in advance of the March 31, 2024, producer responsibility organization program plan due date. The guidance is meant to aid PROs in developing an approach to eco-modulating the fees of packaging producers to incentivize the reduction of the environmental and human health impacts of covered products as required by Oregon’s statute.

Wine bottles in Oregon – EPR or DRS?
Wine bottles have been absent from the bottle bill in Oregon; however, the wine industry has until July 1, 2025, to decide whether they will join the Oregon bottle bill or be responsible for the cost of recycling and disposing of wine bottles themselves. A California wine trade group called Wine Institute has expressed their preference to become part of Oregon’s bottle bill, similar to their inclusion in California’s bottle bill; however, Oregon’s wine groups, the Oregon Winegrowers Association, and the Oregon Wine Council remain indecisive on their preference, requesting more information on the costs of dealing with wine bottles themselves in Oregon’s packaging EPR program. Oregon beverage distributors and retailers have voiced opposition to including wine bottles in OR’s bottle bill, citing already present issues with retail bottle collection in Oregon and the difficulties of collecting such a heavy commodity with low scrap value.  

Apple Lobbies Against ‘Right to Repair’ Bill in Oregon
After supporting California’s right to repair legislation in 2023, Apple has altered its stance and is lobbying against a right-to-repair bill in Oregon in 2024. Apple cited their issue with Oregon’s right-to-repair regarding the bill’s language on “parts pairing,” a practice whereby repair parts are tied to a specific device and must be unlocked by Apple or an Apple-authorized repair shop before they can be used by customers. Oregon’s right to repair bill does not allow for parts pairing, whereas CA’s right to repair law does. An Oregon nonprofit noted during Oregon’s right to repair bill hearing that they received 15,000 iPhones donated in 2023; however, they were only able to refurbish 300 due to parts pairing issues. Another group at the hearing indicated that roughly 4,800 phones are currently thrown away every day in Oregon. 

Colorado Publishes Needs Assessment
In late January, Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the producer responsibility organization (PRO) planning to operate Colorado’s packaging EPR program, submitted the results of their packaging needs assessment completed by HDR Engineering Inc. and Eunomia Research & Consulting, Inc. The needs assessment evaluates existing services and infrastructure in Colorado that manage single-use packaging and paper products at the end of their product life, identifies gaps in existing services, and evaluates opportunities to improve systems to meet and exceed Colorado’s diversion rate goals. Ultimately, the needs assessment provides the analysis and data required to develop recycling system scenarios, one of which will be recommended to the Join Budget Committee and, if approved, will be implemented by the CAA.  

California State's Own Data Reveals Consumer Plastics Cannot be Claimed as Recyclable and are Being Exported Illegally 
In early February, the Basel Action Network and the Last Beach Cleanup published a detailed assessment of California’s progress in reaching the legal requirements under the state packaging EPR program and plastic waste export requirements. The assessment found that California continues to illegally export contaminated waste bales to countries such as Mexico and Malaysia and cannot be claimed for diversion or recycling under the laws.  

LEGISLATION

Oregon

• Wine Packaging Exemption – RMA: HB 4013, would prohibit the Oregon DEQ from enforcing the provisions of Oregon’s bottle bill and packaging producer responsibility program regarding wine packaging until July 1, 2026 . This bill is meant to provide the wine industry and wine packaging stakeholders time to analyze data about both Oregon’s bottle bill and packaging producer responsibility program to determine which program is more appropriate for the recycling of wine packaging. It passed out of the House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment on February 19th.

Non-EPR Waste and Recycling Bills

• Right to Repair SB 1596, would require original manufacturers of electronic equipment to provide any documentation, tool, or part to an owner of consumer electronic equipment or independent repair provider for the purpose of diagnosing, maintaining, or repairing a covered consumer electronic device. 

Washington

• The ReWRAP Act – EPR for Packaging and Paper Products: HB 2049 / SB 6005, the Washington Recycling and Packaging Act would create an EPR program for consumer packaging and paper products. The bill also sets minimum post-consumer recycled content requirements for different packaging materials. The bill did not get placed for a vote on the House Floor by session cutoff, so it will not be advancing further this session.
• Update to LightRecycle Washington HB 1185, would phase out mercury-containing lights and ensure that the existing LightRecycle EPR program can continue. It would also remove the $0.95 Environmental Handling Fee and thereby create a truly producer-funded EPR program. This bill was amended twice and subsequently passed out of the House. The bill had a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology on February 14th. It passed out of the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology on February 20th.  
• EPR for refrigerant gases HB 2401. This bill would create an EPR program to ensure responsible end-of-life management of bulk refrigerants and refrigerants in appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and heat pumps. Leaked refrigerant gases contribute to global warming. This bill was amended twice and subsequently passed out of the House. This had a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology on February 14th. It passed out of the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology on February 20th. 

Non-EPR Waste and Recycling Bills

• Deposit-Return System for Beverage Containers HB 2144, would establish a beverage container recycling and reuse system that places a 10-cent refund value on a wide range of beverage containers.
• Improving Washington’s Organic Material Management Systems HB 2301 / SB 6180, would amend organic material collection service requirements for local governments, residents, and businesses, establish food safety and quality labeling requirements, and ban non-compostable producer stickers.

EVENTS & WEBINARS

• Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act – Meetings & Webinars: 
  • Recycling Council Meeting: February 28, at 1 pm PT. Register here - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpcu-orTgjH9UmTjwwtfeM50gSXwHr7SW4#/registration  
  • Sixth Rulemaking Advisory Committee Meeting: March 14, at 9 am PT. Register here - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tdu2hqDorH9PAyyWs9HCsQ1CmhYXCSUcH#/registration  
  • RMA Webinar for Local Governments: March 21, at 10 am PT. Register here - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kdeypqjMjH91c2_0rGtUZ2CAPe3vJ9Fn_?_x_zm_rtaid=7qc7fzfaR-mOnjuMTdpNZw.1707424571917.79d032ab24138208c138fbfac3c377d0&_x_zm_rhtaid=295#/registration  
• AMERIPEN Webinar Series – Preparing for Packaging Producer Responsibility in the U.S.: 
  • Session 1: State Timelines: February 21, at 10 am PT. Register here - https://ameripen.growthzoneapp.com/ap/Events/Register/QrammWKr  
  • Session 2: Pulling the Data Together: March 20, at 10 am PT. Register here once available - https://www.ameripen.org/epr-webinar-series-2024/ 
  • Session 3: Services to Help Collect and Report Data and Manage Fees: April 17, at 10 am PT. Register here once available - https://www.ameripen.org/epr-webinar-series-2024/ 
  • Session 4: Learnings from Needs Assessments: May 22, at 10 am PT. Register here once available - https://www.ameripen.org/epr-webinar-series-2024/ 
  • Session 5: Lessons Learned from Brands and PROs: June 19, at 10 am PT. Register here once available - https://www.ameripen.org/epr-webinar-series-2024/  
• 2024 Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA) Annual Conference: May 14 – 16 in Vancouver, WA. Heidi Sanborn, the founding Director of both the California Product Stewardship Council, National Stewardship Action Council, and the Stewardship Action Foundation is the keynote speaker. Early bird registration by April 1st, 2024. - https://wsra.net/conference/

JOBS & OPPORTUNITIES

King County Solid Waste Division is hiring and looking for candidates for the following positions: 

• Environmental Programs Managing Supervisor position with the Recycling and Environmental Services (RES) Section. 
• Project/Program Manager III to lead the RES in flow control, budget coordination and analysis, and other special projects to support healthy, safe, and thriving communities in a waste-free King County. 
• Low-Income Discount Program Manager (Project/Program Manager III) to lead our discount program for low-income residents in Unincorporated King County and other special projects.

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.