H-1372              _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 606

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Jacobsen, Allen, Niemi, Unsoeld, Nelson, Cole, Brekke and Todd

Read first time 2/4/87 and referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs.

AN ACT Relating to environmental protection; adding a new section to chapter 70.95 RCW; creating a new section; and prescribing penalties.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that the use of nonreturnable, nonrefillable containers for the packaging of carbonated beverages presents a solid waste management problem for the state, promotes energy waste, and depletes natural resources.  The legislature therefore, in furtherance of the policies stated in chapter 70.95 RCW, determines that the use of nonreturnable, nonrefillable containers for packaging carbonated beverages should be discouraged and that the use of returnable and reusable packaging for these products is preferred and should be encouraged.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 70.95 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) No person may sell at retail or offer for sale at retail in this state any carbonated beverage in a nonreturnable, nonrefillable rigid or semi-rigid container of which at least fifty percent is plastic.

          (2) Beverage containers holding one liter of fluid or more are exempt from subsection (1) of this section.

          (3) A violation of subsection (1) of this section is a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with RCW 9A.20.021.  Each day of violation is a separate offense.