AN
ACT Relating to recycling and waste reduction; amending RCW 39.04.133,
70.95.010, 70.95.030, and 43.19.1905; adding a new section to chapter 81.77
RCW; adding a new section to chapter 70.95 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. (1)
The department of general administration shall work with commercial and
industrial construction industry organizations to develop guidelines for
implementing on-site construction waste management planning. The topics
addressed in the guidelines shall include, but shall not be limited to:
(a)
Standards for identifying the type of wastes generated during construction;
(b)
Methods for analyzing the availability and cost-effectiveness of recycling
services for each type of waste;
(c)
Methods for evaluating construction waste management alternatives given limited
recycling services in rural areas of the state;
(d)
Strategies to maximize reuse and recycling of wastes and minimize landfill
disposal;
(e)
Standardized formats for on-site construction waste management planning and
reporting documents; and
(f)
A training and technical assistance plan for public and private building owners
and construction industry members, in order to facilitate incorporation of
waste management planning and recycling into standard construction industry
practice.
(2)
By December 15, 2002, the department of general administration shall provide a
report to the legislature on the development of the guidelines required by
subsection (1) of this section. The report shall include recommendations for
incorporating job-site waste management planning and recycling into standard
construction industry practice.
Sec.
2. RCW
39.04.133 and 1996 c 198 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The state's preferences for the purchase and use of recycled content products
shall be included as a factor in the design and development of state capital
improvement projects.
(2)
((Specifications for materials in state construction projects shall include
the use of recycled content products and recyclable products whenever
practicable)) If a construction project receives state public funding,
the product standards, as provided in RCW 43.19A.020, shall apply to the
materials used in the project, whenever the administering agency and project
owner determine that such products would be cost-effective and are readily
available.
(3)
This section does not apply to contracts entered into by a municipality.
Sec.
3. 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)) should be the goal of every person and
business to minimize ((his or her)) their 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 municipal
solid 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;
(c)
Energy recovery, incineration, or landfill of separated waste;
(d)
Energy recovery, incineration, or ((landfilling)) landfill of
mixed municipal solid wastes.
(9)
It is the state's goal to achieve a fifty percent recycling rate by ((1995))
2007.
(10)
It is the state's goal that programs be established to eliminate residential
or commercial yard debris in landfills by 2012 in those areas where
alternatives to disposal are readily available and effective.
(11)
Steps should be taken to make recycling at least as affordable and convenient
to the ratepayer as mixed waste disposal.
(((11)))
(12) 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)))
(13) Vehicle batteries should be recycled and the disposal of vehicle
batteries into landfills or incinerators should be discontinued.
(((13)))
(14) Excessive and nonrecyclable packaging of products should be
avoided.
(((14)))
(15) 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)))
(16) 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)))
(17) 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)))
(18) It is necessary to provide adequate funding to all levels of
government so that successful waste reduction and recycling programs can be
implemented.
(((18)))
(19) 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)))
(20) 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.
4. RCW
70.95.030 and 1998 c 36 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:
As
used in this chapter, unless the context indicates otherwise:
(1)
"City" means every incorporated city and town.
(2)
"Commission" means the utilities and transportation commission.
(3)
"Committee" means the state solid waste advisory committee.
(4)
"Composted material" means organic solid waste that has been
subjected to controlled aerobic degradation at a solid waste facility in
compliance with the requirements of this chapter. Natural decay of organic
solid waste under uncontrolled conditions does not result in composted
material.
(5)
"Department" means the department of ecology.
(6)
"Director" means the director of the department of ecology.
(7)
"Disposal site" means the location where any final treatment,
utilization, processing, or deposit of solid waste occurs.
(8)
"Energy recovery" means a process operating under federal and state
environmental laws and regulations for converting solid waste into usable
energy and for reducing the volume of solid waste.
(9)
"Functional standards" means criteria for solid waste handling
expressed in terms of expected performance or solid waste handling functions.
(10)
"Incineration" means a process of reducing the volume of solid waste
operating under federal and state environmental laws and regulations by use of
an enclosed device using controlled flame combustion.
(11)
"Jurisdictional health department" means city, county, city-county,
or district public health department.
(12)
"Landfill" means a disposal facility or part of a facility at which
solid waste is placed in or on land and which is not a land treatment facility.
(13)
"Local government" means a city, town, or county.
(14)
"Modify" means to substantially change the design or operational
plans including, but not limited to, removal of a design element previously set
forth in a permit application or the addition of a disposal or processing
activity that is not approved in the permit.
(15)
"Multiple family residence" means any structure housing two or more
dwelling units.
(16)
"Person" means individual, firm, association, copartnership,
political subdivision, government agency, municipality, industry, public or
private corporation, or any other entity whatsoever.
(17)
"Recyclable materials" means those solid wastes that are separated
for recycling or reuse, such as papers, metals, and glass, that are identified
as recyclable material pursuant to a local comprehensive solid waste plan.
Prior to the adoption of the local comprehensive solid waste plan, adopted
pursuant to RCW 70.95.110(2), local governments may identify recyclable
materials by ordinance from July 23, 1989.
(18)
"Recycling" means transforming or remanufacturing waste materials
into usable or marketable materials for use other than landfill disposal or
incineration.
(19)
"Residence" means the regular dwelling place of an individual or
individuals.
(20)
"Sewage sludge" means a semisolid substance consisting of settled
sewage solids combined with varying amounts of water and dissolved materials,
generated from a wastewater treatment system, that does not meet the
requirements of chapter 70.95J RCW.
(21)
"Soil amendment" means any substance that is intended to improve the
physical characteristics of the soil, except composted material, commercial
fertilizers, agricultural liming agents, unmanipulated animal manures,
unmanipulated vegetable manures, food wastes, food processing wastes, and
materials exempted by rule of the department, such as biosolids as defined in
chapter 70.95J RCW and wastewater as regulated in chapter 90.48 RCW.
(22)
"Solid waste" or "wastes" means all putrescible and
nonputrescible solid and semisolid wastes including, but not limited to,
garbage, rubbish, ashes, industrial wastes, swill, sewage sludge, demolition
and construction wastes, abandoned vehicles or parts thereof, and recyclable
materials.
(23)
"Solid waste handling" means the management, storage, collection,
transportation, treatment, utilization, processing, and final disposal of solid
wastes, including the recovery and recycling of materials from solid wastes,
the recovery of energy resources from solid wastes or the conversion of the
energy in solid wastes to more useful forms or combinations thereof.
(24)
"Source separation" means the separation of different kinds of solid
waste at the place where the waste originates.
(25)
"Vehicle" includes every device physically capable of being moved
upon a public or private highway, road, street, or watercourse and in, upon, or
by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public
or private highway, road, street, or watercourse, except devices moved by human
or animal power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
(26)
"Waste-derived soil amendment" means any soil amendment as defined in
this chapter that is derived from solid waste as defined in RCW 70.95.030, but
does not include biosolids or biosolids products regulated under chapter 70.95J
RCW or wastewaters regulated under chapter 90.48 RCW.
(27)
"Waste reduction" means reducing the amount or toxicity of waste generated
or reusing materials.
(28)
"Yard debris" means plant material commonly created in the course of
maintaining yards and gardens, and through horticulture, gardening,
landscaping, or similar activities. Yard debris includes but is not limited to
grass clippings, leaves, branches, brush, weeds, flowers, roots, windfall
fruit, vegetable garden debris, holiday trees, and tree prunings four inches or
less in diameter.
Sec.
5. RCW
43.19.1905 and 1995 c 269 s 1402 are each amended to read as follows:
The
director of general administration shall establish overall state policy for
compliance by all state agencies, including educational institutions, regarding
the following purchasing and material control functions:
(1)
Development of a state commodity coding system, including common stock numbers
for items maintained in stores for reissue;
(2)
Determination where consolidations, closures, or additions of stores operated
by state agencies and educational institutions should be initiated;
(3)
Institution of standard criteria for determination of when and where an item in
the state supply system should be stocked;
(4)
Establishment of stock levels to be maintained in state stores, and formulation
of standards for replenishment of stock;
(5)
Formulation of an overall distribution and redistribution system for stock
items which establishes sources of supply support for all agencies, including
interagency supply support;
(6)
Determination of what function data processing equipment, including remote
terminals, shall perform in statewide purchasing and material control for
improvement of service and promotion of economy;
(7)
Standardization of records and forms used statewide for supply system
activities involving purchasing, receiving, inspecting, storing, requisitioning,
and issuing functions, including a standard notification form for state
agencies to report cost-effective direct purchases, which shall at least
identify the price of the goods as available through the division of
purchasing, the price of the goods as available from the alternative source,
the total savings, and the signature of the notifying agency's director or the
director's designee;
(8)
Screening of supplies, material, and equipment excess to the requirements of
one agency for overall state need before sale as surplus;
(9)
Establishment of warehouse operation and storage standards to achieve uniform,
effective, and economical stores operations;
(10)
Establishment of time limit standards for the issuing of material in store and
for processing requisitions requiring purchase;
(11)
Formulation of criteria for determining when centralized rather than
decentralized purchasing shall be used to obtain maximum benefit of volume
buying of identical or similar items, including procurement from federal supply
sources;
(12)
Development of criteria for use of leased, rather than state owned, warehouse
space based on relative cost and accessibility;
(13)
Institution of standard criteria for purchase and placement of state furnished
materials, carpeting, furniture, fixtures, and nonfixed equipment, in newly
constructed or renovated state buildings;
(14)
Determination of how transportation costs incurred by the state for materials,
supplies, services, and equipment can be reduced by improved freight and traffic
coordination and control;
(15)
Establishment of a formal certification program for state employees who are
authorized to perform purchasing functions as agents for the state under the
provisions of chapter 43.19 RCW;
(16)
Development of performance measures for the reduction of total overall expense
for material, supplies, equipment, and services used each biennium by the
state;
(17)
Establishment of a standard system for all state organizations to record and
report dollar savings and cost avoidance which are attributable to the
establishment and implementation of improved purchasing and material control
procedures;
(18)
Development of procedures for mutual and voluntary cooperation between state
agencies, including educational institutions, and political subdivisions for
exchange of purchasing and material control services;
(19)
Resolution of all other purchasing and material matters which require the
establishment of overall statewide policy for effective and economical supply
management;
(20)
Development of guidelines and criteria for the purchase of vehicles, alternate
vehicle fuels and systems, equipment, and materials that reduce overall
energy-related costs and energy use by the state, including the requirement
that new passenger vehicles purchased by the state meet the minimum standards
for passenger automobile fuel economy established by the United States
secretary of transportation pursuant to the energy policy and conservation act
(15 U.S.C. Sec. 2002);
(21)
Development of goals for state use of recycled or environmentally preferable
products through specifications for products and services, processes for
requests for proposals and requests for qualifications, contractor selection,
and contract negotiations.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 6. 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 revenue shall be
passed to residential customers.
(2)
By December 2, 2005, 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.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 7. The
department of ecology shall designate a portion of the responsibilities of
existing staff to investigate and draw conclusions by December 31, 2002, on the
following:
(1)
The use of scrap tires as alternative daily cover for landfills. This shall
include, but not be limited to, a review of alternative daily cover
specifications that have been developed by other states, and either an analysis
of those specifications' applicability to Washington or recommendations for
developing alternative daily cover specifications that are unique to
Washington;
(2)
The feasibility of establishing and maintaining an incentive program for market
development for scrap tires. This shall include, but not be limited to, the
results of research into the availability of funding for such a program and
proposed criteria for the program that favors projects utilizing higher end
value uses of scrap tires.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 8. The
department of transportation, in consultation with the office of general
administration when needed, shall designate a portion of the responsibilities
of existing staff to evaluate scrap tire use for civil engineering and highway
construction applications by November 30, 2003. The evaluation shall include:
(1)
An analysis of the feasibility of using scrap tires in lightweight fills given
the standards and specifications adopted by the federal highway administration
and other states; and
(2)
An analysis of the feasibility of using rubber-modified asphalt in highway
projects, including any changes in the cost of such procedures from the costs
reported in the department of transportation's 1992 report to the legislature
on the use of recycled materials in highway construction.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 9. A
new section is added to chapter 70.95 RCW to read as follows:
The
department of ecology, in conjunction with the appropriate private sector
stakeholders, shall track and report annually to the legislature the total
increase or reduction of tire recycling or reuse rates in the state for each
calendar year and for the cumulative calendar years from the effective date of
this act.
