SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 6446

BYSenate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Rinehart, Bluechel, Kreidler, Garrett, Gaspard and Lee)

Encouraging state purchasing of recovered materials.

Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 20, 1988

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6446 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Smith, Vice Chairman; Barr, Benitz, DeJarnatt, Kreidler, Patterson, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Rick Anderson (786-7717)

                  March 5, 1988

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 8, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Many local governments have started, or have plans for, collection programs for recyclable commodities.  Commodities collected typically include glass, newspapers, tin, and aluminum.  Private recyclers have traditionally provided this service and have achieved a statewide recycling average of 15 percent of the total waste stream.  Collection programs run by local governments may force many private recyclers out of business.

Increased collection, by itself, will not increase recycling rates.  The other essential steps in recycling are:  processing, re-manufacturing, and final sale of the new product.  In its interim report, the Joint Select Committee for Preferred Solid Waste Management found that consumers can significantly stimulate markets for recyclable commodities if they develop a preference for buying products containing recycled materials.

Because state and local governments are large purchasers of goods, the committee recommended that the state implement a purchasing system that considers the recycled content of a product in its purchasing decisions.  Increased state purchases of products containing recycled commodities will stimulate markets and act to compensate for the increased supply of recyclable commodities caused by the local government collection programs.

SUMMARY:

The recycled content of a product is established as one of several criteria used to award contracts by the Office of State Procurement within the Department of General Administration. 

Bidders of state purchasing contracts are required to provide a statement of the percentage of recycled product content.

The Department of General Administration is directed to develop a directory of businesses that supply products containing recycled materials, and to encourage purchase of such products by local governments and other public entities utilizing the state's purchasing system.

Refuse haulers are required to distribute educational materials pertaining to recycling.  For rate-making purposes, refuse haulers may request that the cost of distributing such materials be considered as a normal operating expense.

Appropriation:    $49,000 from the state general fund.

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Jack Jenkins, Eagle Energy; Llewellyn Matthews, Northwest Pulp and Paper Association; Rullie Harris, Scott Paper Company; George Sidles, Washington State Recycling Association; Meredith Jennings, Department of General Administration; Nancy Pearson, Washington Citizens for Recycling

HOUSE AMENDMENTS:

The appropriation to the Department of General Administration for the development of a market directory for products containing recycled materials is deleted.

A written statement of a product's recycled content is required and may be stated in 15 percent increments.