SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5376

BYSenators Rinehart, Bluechel, Kreidler, Hansen, Kiskaddon and Lee; by request of Department of Ecology

Implementing goals for the increased use of recovered material by state government.

Senate Committee on Parks & Ecology

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 27, 1987; March 3, 1987

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5376 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Kreidler, Chairman; Rinehart, Vice Chairman; Bluechel, Hansen, Kiskaddon.

Senate Staff:Henry Yates (786-7708)

                  March 3, 1987

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 6, 1987

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5376 as recommended by Committee on Parks & Ecology be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDermott, Chairman; Gaspard, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Cantu, Fleming, Lee, Owen, Rasmussen, Rinehart, Saling, Talmadge, Warnke, Williams, Zimmerman.

Senate Staff:Lynn French (786-7715)

                  March 6, 1987

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, MARCH 6, 1987

BACKGROUND:

SHB 1164, passed in the 1984 session, established priorities for the management of solid waste.  Waste reduction was listed as the highest priority followed by recycling.  The total waste going into landfills has been estimated to contain one-third paper products.  In order to reduce the amount of paper going into these facilities, several states have passed laws requiring that agencies use specific amounts of recycled paper.  This paper is to include bond paper, paper towels, toilet tissue, corrugated boxes, envelopes and other products.

SUMMARY:

The Director of General Administration is to develop specifications and adopt rules that allow preferential purchase of paper products containing recovered material (defined).  The agency is required to award bids to vendors offering a product with the highest amount of recycled content, within 5 percent of the low bid.  If a recycled product is not available or if it is above the 5 percent cost limit, there is no requirement to purchase a recycled product.  The State Printer is also required to develop a program for purchasing paper products containing recovered material.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The definition of recovered material is changed.  Internal mill waste will not be considered as part of the recycled content of a paper product.  A modified bidding procedure will be used by the Department of General Administration and the State Printer.  The procedure will employ a weighting factor determined by the amount of recycled paper in a product.

Fiscal Note:      requested

Senate Committee - Testified: PARKS & ECOLOGY:  Tom Eaton, Department of Ecology; Nancy Pearson, WCFR; Elizabeth Tabbutt, WEC

Senate Committee - Testified: WAYS & MEANS: No one