Washington passes plastic packaging stewardship bill into law

Washington's plastic packaging stewardship study bill (SB 5397) passed and was signed into law May 21, 2019. Read the press release from Zero Waste Washington (PDF).photo of plastic packaging bill signing ceremony
Key dates:

  • Study and report due to the Legislature by Oct. 31, 2020: Dept. of Ecology must contract with a third-party independent consultant to evaluate and assess the amount and types of plastic packaging sold into the state as well as the management and disposal of plastic packaging, and submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature. The report must include:
    • Findings regarding amount and types of plastic packaging sold into the state as well as the management and disposal of plastic packaging
    • Recommendations to meet the goals of reducing plastic packaging, including through industry initiative or plastic packaging product stewardship, or both, to:
      • Achieve 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging in all goods sold in Washington by Jan. 1, 2025;
      • Achieve at least 20% postconsumer recycled content in packaging by Jan. 1, 2025;
      • Reduce plastic packaging
    • Options to meet plastic packaging reduction goals, that are capable of being established and implemented by Jan. 1, 2022.
  • This chapter in Title 70 RCW expires July 1, 2029.