H-1873.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2181

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Clements and G. Chandler

Read first time 02/17/1999.  Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Ecology.

Storing fruits or vegetables in controlled atmosphere storage.

    AN ACT Relating to controlled atmosphere storage; and amending RCW 15.30.060.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 15.30.060 and 1994 c 23 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    The director shall adopt rules:

    (1) Prescribing the maximum amount of oxygen that may be retained in a sealed controlled atmosphere storage warehouse:  PROVIDED, That such maximum amount of oxygen retained shall not exceed five percent when apples are stored in such controlled atmosphere storage warehouse.

    (2) Prescribing the period in which the oxygen content shall be reduced to the amount prescribed in subsection (1) of this section:  PROVIDED, That such period shall not exceed twenty days when apples are stored in such controlled atmosphere warehouse.

    (3) The length of time and the degrees of temperature at which any fruits or vegetables shall be retained in controlled atmosphere storage, before they may be classified as having been stored in controlled atmosphere storage:  PROVIDED, That such period shall not be less than forty-five days for Gala and Jonagold varieties and not less than ((ninety)) sixty days for other apples.

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