SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5550

                    As of February 6, 1995

Title:  An act relating to standards for solid waste handling.

Brief Description:  Modifying requirements for standards for solid waste handling.

Sponsors:  Senators Snyder and Palmer.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Ecology & Parks:  2/8/95.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ECOLOGY & PARKS

Staff:  David Danner (786-7784)

Background:  The federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Subtitle D, required that the Environmental Protection Agency develop standards for municipal solid waste landfills.  EPA published the criteria for municipal solid waste landfills in 1991. 

In October 1993, the Department of Ecology published rules to establish minimum, statewide standards for all municipal solid waste landfills.  These standards implement the rule-making of the EPA under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.  The rule applies to all new and existing municipal solid waste landfill units.  The locational standards in the rule do not apply to existing municipal solid waste landfill units.

Under the state standards, existing municipal solid waste landfill units are defined to include existing landfills that are receiving wastes, and any existing horizontal expansion approved by the jurisdictional health department for which as-built plans documenting construction have been prepared.  The definition for existing landfills does not include planned expansions for which only conceptual plans have been drafted.

Summary of Bill:  Minimum functional standards for solid waste handling adopted by the Department of Ecology after October 1, 1993 are to affect existing municipal solid waste landfill units to the minimum extent possible.  Existing municipal solid waste landfills include defined areas of land that have been permitted by a jurisdictional health department to receive solid waste as of the date of the standard. 

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 6, 1995.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.