ANALYSIS OF HB 1136

ANALYSIS OF HB 1136

HOUSE AGRICULTURE & ECOLOGY COMMITTEEJanuary 30, 2001

$Requires the Director of the Department of General Administration to adopt product standards for strawboard and strawboard products for recycled product purchases made by state agencies;

$Adopts the EPA=s product standards for all building products and materials, not just building insulation, unless the Director makes certain findings; and

$Expressly includes postsecondary education institutions among the state agencies to which the state=s recycled product standards for recycling apply.

Background:

Section 6002 of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as amended requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prepare guidelines for the procurement by federal agencies of items containing recovered materials. (42 U.S.C. ' 6962.) The guidelines adopted by the EPA designate items that are or can be made with recovered materials and whose procurement by agencies will carry out the objectives of the federal Act, as determined by the EPA. (40 C.F.R. '' 247.1 et seq.)

The EPA=s product standards for a number of materials have been adopted by statute for state purchases, unless the Director of the Department of General Administration finds that different standards would significantly increase recycled product availability or competition. Included among these products standards are those for building insulation. These standards apply to recycled product purchasing by state agencies and may be used by local governments in making purchases. (RCW 43.19A.020.)

Summary:

The Director of the Department of General Administration is required to adopt product standards for strawboard and for products made from strawboard. The straw in the strawboard is to be that produced as a by-product in the production of cereal grain or turf or grass seed. The list of products for which the product standards of the EPA are adopted by reference, unless modified as authorized, includes all building products and materials, not just building insulation.

The state entities that must make their recycled product purchases in conformity with these standards now expressly includes state postsecondary educational institutions. It is clarified that the federal product standards adopted by reference are those adopted by the EPA to implement Section 6002 of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as it exists on the effective date of this act.