H-0558.1                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1161

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives Schoesler, Rayburn, Chandler, Kremen, Grant, Foreman, Sheahan, Morton, R. Johnson, Mielke, Jacobsen, Hansen, Fuhrman, Padden, Shin, Miller, Wood and Silver

Read first time 01/18/93.  Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Rural Development.

Directing Washington State University to research the technology necessary to transform wheat and legumes into biodegradable plastics.

          AN ACT Relating to agricultural products; adding new sections to chapter 70.95C RCW; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The legislature finds that the disposal of packaging materials imposes costs and environmental hazards to the state and the region.  At the same time, the state of Washington is a major producer of wheat and peas, two products that make an excellent source of biodegradable plastics.  Perfecting the technology for transforming wheat and peas into biodegradable plastics would benefit the state's consumers and ecology and would increase the sale and use of these products that are grown in many rural counties.

          (2) Washington State University shall undertake the research necessary to perfect the technology needed to transform wheat and peas into appropriate plastic packaging materials.  This will involve three primary steps:  (a) Developing effective fractionation processes to break the wheat and peas into their usable components, (b) developing the technology for transforming the starch components into plastics, and (c) finding economic uses for the glutens, dietary fibers, and other components, so the manufacturing of the entire grain or legume can be done at breakeven cost or above.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) The legislature finds that there are opportunities to develop technologies for grain and legume processing that can help consumers, the environment, and rural communities of the state of Washington.  Without assistance from the state, these technologies cannot be brought to the point where private sector commercialization and application can take place.

          (2) Washington State University shall develop and execute a plan to address systematically the current obstacles to development and commercialization of biodegradable plastics from wheat and legumes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  Sections 1 and 2 of this act are each added to chapter 70.95C RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  (1) The sum of two hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1995, from the general fund to Washington State University to carry out the purposes of section 1 of this act.

          (2) Washington State University shall make every effort to secure nonstate matching support for these activities.

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