BP BHEAD INT H [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to recycling and waste reduction; amending RCW 70.95.010, 70.95.090, and 70.95.290; and adding a new section to chapter 81.77 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 81.77 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The commission shall allow solid waste collection companies collecting recyclable materials to retain up to thirty percent of the revenue paid to the companies for the material if the companies submit a plan to the commission that is certified by the appropriate local government authority as being consistent with the local government solid waste plan and that demonstrates how the revenues will be used to increase recycling. The remaining seventy percent of the revenue shall be passed to residential customers served throughout the state.

(2) By December 2, 2003, the commission shall provide a report to the legislature that evaluates:

(a) The effectiveness of revenue sharing as an incentive to increase recycling in the state; and

(b) The effect of revenue sharing on costs to customers.

Sec. 2. RCW 70.95.010 and 1989 c 431 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislature finds:

(1) Continuing technological changes in methods of manufacture, packaging, and marketing of consumer products, together with the economic and population growth of this state, the rising affluence of its citizens, and its expanding industrial activity have created new and ever-mounting problems involving disposal of garbage, refuse, and solid waste materials resulting from domestic, agricultural, and industrial activities.

(2) Traditional methods of disposing of solid wastes in this state are no longer adequate to meet the ever-increasing problem. Improper methods and practices of handling and disposal of solid wastes pollute our land, air and water resources, blight our countryside, adversely affect land values, and damage the overall quality of our environment.

(3) Considerations of natural resource limitations, energy shortages, economics and the environment make necessary the development and implementation of solid waste recovery and/or recycling plans and programs.

(4) Waste reduction must become a fundamental strategy of solid waste management. It is therefore necessary to change manufacturing and purchasing practices and waste generation behaviors to reduce the amount of waste that becomes a governmental responsibility.

(5) Source separation of waste must become a fundamental strategy of solid waste management. Collection and handling strategies should have, as an ultimate goal, the source separation of all materials with resource value or environmental hazard.

(6)(a) It is the responsibility of every person to minimize his or her production of wastes and to separate recyclable or hazardous materials from mixed waste.

(b) It is the responsibility of state, county, and city governments to provide for a waste management infrastructure to fully implement waste reduction and source separation strategies and to process and dispose of remaining wastes in a manner that is environmentally safe and economically sound. It is further the responsibility of state, county, and city governments to monitor the cost-effectiveness and environmental safety of combusting separated waste, processing mixed waste, and recycling programs.

(c) It is the responsibility of county and city governments to assume primary responsibility for solid waste management and to develop and implement aggressive and effective waste reduction and source separation strategies.

(d) It is the responsibility of state government to ensure that local governments are providing adequate source reduction and separation opportunities and incentives to all, including persons in both rural and urban areas, and nonresidential waste generators such as commercial, industrial, and institutional entities, recognizing the need to provide flexibility to accommodate differing population densities, distances to and availability of recycling markets, and collection and disposal costs in each community; and to provide county and city governments with adequate technical resources to accomplish this responsibility.

(7) Environmental and economic considerations in solving the state's solid waste management problems requires strong consideration by local governments of regional solutions and intergovernmental cooperation.

(8) The following priorities for the collection, handling, and management of solid waste are necessary and should be followed in descending order as applicable:

(a) Waste reduction;

(b) Recycling, with source separation of recyclable materials as the preferred method;

(d) Energy recovery, incineration, or landfilling of mixed wastes.

(9) It is the state's goal to achieve a fifty percent recycling rate by ((~~1995~~)) 2005.

(10) Steps should be taken to make recycling at least as affordable and convenient to the ratepayer as mixed waste disposal.

(11) It is necessary to compile and maintain adequate data on the types and quantities of solid waste that are being generated and to monitor how the various types of solid waste are being managed.

(12) Vehicle batteries should be recycled and the disposal of vehicle batteries into landfills or incinerators should be discontinued.

(13) Excessive and nonrecyclable packaging of products should be avoided.

(14) Comprehensive education should be conducted throughout the state so that people are informed of the need to reduce, source separate, and recycle solid waste.

(15) All governmental entities in the state should set an example by implementing aggressive waste reduction and recycling programs at their workplaces and by purchasing products that are made from recycled materials and are recyclable.

(16) To ensure the safe and efficient operations of solid waste disposal facilities, it is necessary for operators and regulators of landfills and incinerators to receive training and certification.

(17) It is necessary to provide adequate funding to all levels of government so that successful waste reduction and recycling programs can be implemented.

(18) The development of stable and expanding markets for recyclable materials is critical to the long-term success of the state's recycling goals. Market development must be encouraged on a state, regional, and national basis to maximize its effectiveness. The state shall assume primary responsibility for the development of a multifaceted market development program to carry out the purposes of this act.

(19) There is an imperative need to anticipate, plan for, and accomplish effective storage, control, recovery, and recycling of discarded tires and other problem wastes with the subsequent conservation of resources and energy.

Sec. 3. RCW 70.95.090 and 1991 c 298 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

Each county and city comprehensive solid waste management plan shall include the following:

(1) A detailed inventory and description of all existing solid waste handling facilities including an inventory of any deficiencies in meeting current solid waste handling needs.

(2) The estimated long-range needs for solid waste handling facilities projected twenty years into the future.

(3) A program for the orderly development of solid waste handling facilities in a manner consistent with the plans for the entire county which shall:

(a) Meet the minimum functional standards for solid waste handling adopted by the department and all laws and regulations relating to air and water pollution, fire prevention, flood control, and protection of public health;

(b) Take into account the comprehensive land use plan of each jurisdiction;

(d) Contain a plan for financing both capital costs and operational expenditures of the proposed solid waste management system.

(4) A program for surveillance and control.

(5) A current inventory and description of solid waste collection needs and operations within each respective jurisdiction which shall include:

(a) Any franchise for solid waste collection granted by the utilities and transportation commission in the respective jurisdictions including the name of the holder of the franchise and the address of his or her place of business and the area covered by the franchise;

(b) Any city solid waste operation within the county and the boundaries of such operation;

(c) The population density of each area serviced by a city operation or by a franchised operation within the respective jurisdictions;

(d) The projected solid waste collection needs for the respective jurisdictions for the next six years.

(6) A comprehensive waste reduction and recycling element that, in accordance with the priorities established in RCW 70.95.010, provides programs that (a) reduce the amount of waste generated, (b) provide incentives and mechanisms for source separation, and (c) establish recycling opportunities for the source separated waste.

(7) The waste reduction and recycling element shall include the following:

(a) Waste reduction strategies;

(b) Source separation strategies, including:

(i) Programs for the collection of source separated materials from residences in urban and rural areas. In urban areas, these programs shall include collection of source separated recyclable materials from single and multiple family residences, unless the department approves an alternative program, according to the criteria in the planning guidelines. Such criteria shall include: Anticipated recovery rates and levels of public participation, availability of environmentally sound disposal capacity, access to markets for recyclable materials, unreasonable cost impacts on the ratepayer over the six-year planning period, utilization of environmentally sound waste reduction and recycling technologies, and other factors as appropriate. In rural areas, these programs shall include but not be limited to drop-off boxes, buy-back centers, or a combination of both, at each solid waste transfer, processing, or disposal site, or at locations convenient to the residents of the county. The drop-off boxes and buy-back centers may be owned or operated by public, nonprofit, or private persons;

(ii) Programs to monitor the collection of source separated waste at nonresidential sites where there is sufficient density to sustain a program;

(iii) Programs to collect yard waste, if the county or city submitting the plan finds that there are adequate markets or capacity for composted yard waste within or near the service area to consume the majority of the material collected; and

(iv) Programs to educate and promote the concepts of waste reduction and recycling;

(c) Recycling strategies, including a description of markets for recyclables, a review of waste generation trends, a description of waste composition, a discussion and description of existing programs and any additional programs needed to assist public and private sector recycling, and an implementation schedule for the designation of specific materials to be collected for recycling, and for the provision of recycling collection services;

(d) Establishment of residential collection rate structures that provide economic incentives for customers to reduce their level of solid waste collection service and encourage participation in waste reduction, recycling, and yard waste collection programs. All jurisdictions that are signatories to comprehensive solid waste management plans shall adopt ordinances to implement rate structures that are consistent with the guidelines in the comprehensive plans; and

(e) Other information the county or city submitting the plan determines is necessary.

(8) An assessment of the plan's impact on the costs of solid waste collection. The assessment shall be prepared in conformance with guidelines established by the utilities and transportation commission. The commission shall cooperate with the Washington state association of counties and the association of Washington cities in establishing such guidelines.

(9) A review of potential areas that meet the criteria as outlined in RCW 70.95.165.

Sec. 4. RCW 70.95.290 and 1988 c 184 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The evaluation of the solid waste stream required in RCW 70.95.280 shall include the following elements:

(a) The department shall determine which management method for each category of solid waste will have the least environmental impact; and

(b) The department shall evaluate the costs of various management options for each category of solid waste, including a review of market availability, and shall take into consideration the economic impact on affected parties;

(c) Based on the results of (a) and (b) of this subsection, the department shall determine the best management for each category of solid waste. Different management methods for the same categories of waste may be developed for different parts of the state.

(2) The department shall give priority to evaluating categories of solid waste that, in relation to other categories of solid waste, comprise a large volume of the solid waste stream or present a high potential of harm to human health. At a minimum the following categories of waste shall be evaluated:

(a) By January 1, 1989, yard waste and other biodegradable materials, paper products, disposable diapers, and batteries; ((~~and~~))

(b) By January 1, 1990, metals, glass, plastics, styrofoam or rigid lightweight cellular polystyrene, and tires; and

(c) By January 1, 2002, construction, demolition, and land-clearing debris, biosolids, manure, and major food-processing wastes.