The Recycling Reform Act, passed in 2025, will bring important changes to how a city manages residential recycling services. One of the key benefits of the new law will be that, starting in 2030, packaging producers will reimburse service providers for their costs in providing collection and processing of residential paper and packaging. To be eligible for reimbursement, service providers need to register with the Department of Ecology by January 31, 2026.

Who needs to register?

If your city or town either directly provides, contracts to provide, or in any other way arranges for residential recycling services, including public place recycling (either collection or processing), and you plan to continue to do so in 2030 under the Recycling Reform Act, then you should register.

If your city or town decides to defer to the UTC-regulated solid waste collector for residential recycling by 2030 and will not play a role in any way, then you do not need to register.

How is the information used?

Service provider information will be used in two important ways:

• To inform the preliminary statewide needs assessment in December 2026, which will inform the first producer responsibility program plan. It’s very important to get as much baseline data as possible to ensure that reimbursements are as close as possible to the costs incurred.

• As a basis to determine reimbursement rates.

What information is required?

• The contact information for a person representing the service provider
• Identification of service areas
• Identification of the services to be provided
• If applicable to services provided and, when possible, separated for collection, transfer, and processing:
  • The number of covered entities currently provided service
  • The number of covered entities eligible to receive service under the Recycling Reform Act
  • Total costs to provide service
  • Tons managed during the preceding calendar year

A covered entity is defined as:

• A single-family residence,
• A multifamily residence, and
• A public place where a government entity managed recycling collection receptacles as of August 1, 2025.

Resources

• WA State Dept. of Ecology – Service provider registration
• WA State Dept. of Ecology – Service provider registration – Users guide
• Recycling Reform Act
• WA State Dept. of Ecology fact sheet – Improving residential recycling – The Recycling Reform Act and 3xtended producer responsibility
• RCW – Chapter 70A.208: Solid waste—Packaging and paper products—Producer responsibility