SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6340

BYSenator Murray

Promoting a more efficient and economical purchasing and material control program.

Senate Committee on

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 17, 1990

Senate Staff:Atsushi Kiuchi (786-7708)

AS OF JANUARY 16, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Solid Waste Management Reform Act of 1989 requires state agencies to take the lead to reduce waste and recycle in order to reduce the state's growing solid waste stream.

There is a need for uniformity and consolidation of purchasing and procurement of products that contain recycled materials or can be recycled in order to meet the legislatively mandated goals for waste reduction and recycling by state agencies.

SUMMARY:

"Recycled paper product" means a paper product including fine grades of paper, corrugated boxes, newsprint, tissue and toweling with not less than 50 percent of its total weight consisting of secondary and post-consumer waste and with not less than 10 percent of its total weight consisting of post-consumer waste.  "Post-consumer waste" means a finished product which would normally be disposed of as solid waste, having completed its life cycle as a consumer item.  "Secondary waste" means a fragments of finished products of a manufacturing process, which has converted to a virgin resource into a commodity of economic value and includes post-consumer waste.  It does not include fibrous wastes recovered from waste water or trimmings from a paper machine and from wood residue.

The Director of the Department of General Administration shall set policies, rules, standards for the purchase and/or procurement of recycled paper, recycled products, materials, compost and co-compost products of common usage among state agencies and educational institutions to meet the state's waste reduction and recycling goals.

Preferential purchase rules to be used when feasible shall be developed for products that contain recycled materials (secondary waste) and products that can be recycled after use.

The department shall establish goals and timetables on the purchase of recycled paper, recycled products and compost and co-compost products.  The department will report on the percent of recycled products purchased based on total dollar amounts in 1992, 1994 and 1995.

State agencies and educational institutions meeting the recycling goals and timetables are authorized to use a symbol indicating their compliance.

Contracts over $50,000 entered into by a state agency or educational institution shall be certified as to the percentage of recycled content, post-consumer and secondary waste.  This certification is for recycled paper products, compost or co-compost products, glass, oil, plastic, solvents and paint and tires.

The director shall establish a recyclable materials separation and collection procedure for all state buildings and state waste collection personnel.

Annual reports to the Legislature will be made by the department.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested January 15, 1990