This bill establishes minimum postconsumer recycled content requirements for various plastic products in Washington State, aiming to enhance environmental sustainability and support the recycling industry. It introduces new definitions for product categories, such as "PCRC 1.0" and "PCRC 2.0," and specifies exemptions for certain items, including those in direct contact with food or medical products. The legislation mandates that by 2030, rigid plastic containers must contain at least 30% postconsumer recycled content, while roll carts must contain at least 10% by 2030 and 30% by 2031. Producers are required to register with the Department of Ecology and report their compliance annually, with penalties for non-compliance adjusted to 30 cents per pound of non-compliant plastic.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to clarify that the product category does not include credits from converting plastic into fuel or energy and mandates the Department of Ecology to post producer information on its website. It requires producers to label plastic trash bags with their postconsumer recycled content percentage starting January 1, 2027, and establishes a process for the Department to conduct market studies every ten years to evaluate the effectiveness of these requirements. The bill also directs state agencies to purchase specific postconsumer recycled content products from compliant producers, thereby enhancing the use of recycled materials in state procurement processes.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 70A.245.010, 70A.245.020, 70A.245.030, 43.21A.160, 70A.245.100, 70A.245.090, 70A.245.120, 70A.245.060
Substitute bill: 70A.245.010, 70A.245.020, 70A.245.030, 43.21A.160, 70A.245.100, 70A.245.090, 70A.245.120, 70A.245.060, 70A.245.110
Second substitute: 70A.245.010, 70A.245.020, 70A.245.030, 43.21A.160, 70A.245.100, 70A.245.090, 70A.245.120, 70A.245.060, 70A.245.110