Last session, the Legislature passed a bill with multiple requirements for cities regarding organics management spanning the next five years. The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has set up a resource library as a reference point for local governments
to receive guidance and stay informed.
Session law HB 1799 has the ambitious goal to reduce food and yard waste in landfills by 75% in eight years. To do that, the law focuses
some of its attention on how cities can play a role in collection of organics, siting management facilities, and procuring the result—compost.
As the first deadline of January 1, 2023, approaches (compost procurement ordinance), Ecology is posting resources to an online library. The resources include:
You can access the full library without signing up. If you have any questions about the library, or would like to be directly invited to join, contact Peter Guttchen with Ecology at peter.guttchen@ecy.wa.gov.
Ecology has also set up a website that lists the upcoming deadlines
for each section of the law.
HB 1799 also includes a provision requiring Ecology to contract with a third-party consultant to study the adequacy of funding for local government solid waste management. The study will assess a variety of local government funding issues,
including in relation to state legislative policy proposals introduced or passed since 2019. AWC is in consultation with Ecology on the study which is due July 1, 2023.