2SHB 1150
In CommitteeHouse
Solid waste management
Improving Washington's solid waste management outcomes.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill establishes a producer-funded, state-supervised extended producer responsibility program for packaging and paper products in Washington, requiring producers to finance and manage the collection, reuse, recycling, and composting of their products to improve waste recovery rates and reduce environmental impacts. It also updates existing solid waste planning and regulatory laws to align with the new program and mandates equity-focused analysis and infrastructure investments.
- Creates a new producer responsibility program requiring producers of packaging and paper products to manage the end-of-life of their products, including funding reuse, recycling, and composting services statewide.
- Requires producers to register with the Department of Ecology by January 1, 2026, and join a producer responsibility organization or operate an individual plan by July 1, 2026.
- Establishes statewide collection lists for recyclable and compostable materials, with curbside recycling required for covered materials wherever garbage service exists (starting January 1, 2030), and alternative drop-off collection in all counties.
- Mandates five-year plans submitted by producer responsibility organizations, including performance targets for recycling, reuse, composting, plastic source reduction, and postconsumer recycled content, based on needs assessments and equity studies.
- Requires material recovery facilities to report detailed data on materials received, processed, and sent to responsible markets, and ensures workers receive minimum industry standard compensation (wages plus benefits).
- Creates a $5 million annual reuse financial assistance program (adjusted for inflation) to support reuse infrastructure and services, with priority for economically distressed or overburdened communities.
Who is affected
- Producers of packaging and paper products — Producers (brand owners, manufacturers, importers, etc.) of packaging and paper products sold in Washington must register with the state, join a producer responsibility organization, pay fees, and implement programs to manage their products' end-of-life, including funding reuse, recycling, and composting infrastructure and services.
- Service providers (e.g., waste haulers, material recovery facilities, compost facilities) — Entities that collect, transport, sort, process, or otherwise manage covered materials for reuse, recycling, or composting must register with the state, meet performance standards, and be reimbursed by producer responsibility organizations for services provided to residents and public places.
- Local governments — Local governments (counties and cities) must update their comprehensive solid waste plans to include curbside recycling collection for covered materials wherever garbage service is provided, starting in 2030, and may adopt the state’s model plan if they fail to update their own.
- Residents of Washington State — Residents—especially those in rural areas, multifamily housing, overburdened communities, and socially vulnerable populations—will gain improved access to convenient recycling and composting services, with a focus on reducing disparities in service availability and education.
- Workers at material recovery facilities — Material recovery facility workers must be paid minimum industry standard compensation (wages plus usual benefits) as defined by collective bargaining agreements in their area.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Creates a $5 million annual reuse financial assistance program prioritizing economically distressed and overburdened communities, directly increasing access to reuse infrastructure where need is greatest.
EnvironmentPeopleRef: Sec. 104(5)Requires Department to consider life-cycle environmental impacts when determining which materials are suitable for residential collection, promoting more sustainable material choices over time.
EnvironmentPeopleRef: Sec. 109(1)(b)(xiii)Mandates an equity study analyzing disparities in access to recycling/composting services for multifamily residents, overburdened communities, and socially vulnerable populations, with explicit requirement to consider worker conditions and facility pollution impacts.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 112Requires reimbursement rates to reflect net costs of covered services, preventing service providers from profiting excessively from state-mandated services while ensuring sustainability.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 117(2)(a)Requires material recovery facility workers to receive minimum industry standard compensation (wages plus benefits), strengthening labor standards in an often low-wage sector.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 304(1)
Potential Concerns (5)
Prohibits collection of non-listed materials in residential recycling programs, which may reduce consumer convenience and increase contamination if residents dispose of non-listed recyclables in garbage or yard waste streams.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 109(4)(a)Requires at least one drop-off collection site per county for alternative collection, which may be logistically challenging and costly for sparsely populated counties with limited infrastructure.
HousingRef: Sec. 110(2)(a)Mandates statewide requirements for postconsumer recycled content, which may increase costs for producers and consumers if markets for recycled content are underdeveloped or volatile.
EnvironmentRef: Sec. 115(10)(a)(vi)Incentivizes packaging reduction and paper use reduction, which may reduce demand for packaging materials and impact packaging manufacturers and paper producers.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 116(2)(c)(ii)Allows service providers to retain revenue from material sales and charge fees if reimbursement is insufficient, which may create inconsistent pricing and market distortions across regions.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 117(2)(c)
Who Is Most Affected
Producers (brand owners, manufacturers, importers) will face new registration, reporting, and fee obligations. Small producers below the de minimis threshold ($5M revenue or <1 ton) are exempt, but most medium and large producers will bear significant costs. While the program is producer-funded, the financial burden falls on producers, who may pass costs to consumers or reduce packaging innovation investment.
Waste haulers and material recovery facilities will receive guaranteed reimbursement for services and may benefit from increased demand for recycling/composting infrastructure. However, they must register, meet performance standards, and comply with new labor and reporting requirements. The ability to retain material sale revenue and charge fees if reimbursement is insufficient provides some financial flexibility.
Local governments must update comprehensive solid waste plans to include curbside recycling wherever garbage service exists by 2030, but can adopt the state’s model plan if they fail to update their own. They retain authority over collection contracts and may benefit from state-provided educational materials and reimbursement for services.
Residents—especially in rural areas, multifamily housing, overburdened communities, and socially vulnerable populations—will gain improved access to convenient recycling and composting services. The program explicitly addresses equity gaps and mandates education and outreach in culturally responsive formats.
MRF workers benefit from mandatory minimum industry standard compensation (wages plus benefits), improving labor conditions in an often hazardous and low-wage sector. However, enforcement will rely on DLI investigations, and compliance may vary without strong oversight.