The bill focuses on improving waste material management in Washington State, particularly for organic materials. It establishes a new education and outreach program aimed at increasing residential participation in the source separation of organic waste, which includes assessing barriers, piloting motivational strategies, and providing a customizable toolkit for local governments. The legislation mandates a statewide education campaign by January 1, 2029, and introduces requirements for color-coded collection bins and labeling to enhance proper waste disposal. Additionally, it amends existing laws to ensure year-round collection services for source-separated organic solid waste for single-family and certain nonresidential customers starting April 1, 2027, while also requiring local governments to provide performance metric data for grant eligibility.

The bill further mandates that local solid waste plans include programs for collecting source-separated organic materials from multifamily residences, particularly those newly constructed or remodeled. It allows for waivers for existing structures with inadequate storage space and emphasizes the need for sufficient solid waste storage in new buildings. For businesses, a phased approach is outlined for managing significant organic waste, with local jurisdictions empowered to enforce compliance and impose penalties. The bill also promotes food waste reduction in schools through grant funding for infrastructure and educational resources, mandates the identification of best practices for food waste reduction by January 1, 2027, and facilitates farm-to-school programs to encourage the procurement of locally grown food.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 70A.207.050, 70A.205.540, 70A.205.545, 15.64.060, 28A.235.180
Substitute Bill: 70A.207.050, 70A.205.540, 70A.205.545, 15.64.060, 28A.235.180