Washington House Advances Recycling Reform Bill

The bill sets the stage for a statewide EPR program to improve recycling access and hold producers accountable for packaging waste.

• By Stasia DeMarco
• Apr 22, 2025

The Washington House of Representatives approved legislation that would overhaul the state’s aging recycling system, moving the state a step closer to implementing an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for packaging.

The Recycling Reform Act (SB 5284) would create a producer responsibility organization to require manufacturers and consumer brands to reduce excess packaging, fund statewide collection services, and ensure materials placed in curbside recycling bins are effectively processed. The bill passed with amendments and now returns to the Senate for concurrence before it can be signed into law.

“The passage of this bill represents a historic step forward for our state to a cleaner, more accessible, and more sustainable recycling system,” said Sen. Liz Lovelett, D-Anacortes, the bill’s lead sponsor. “Today we are all celebrating progress to reduce pollution, improve recycling rates, and divert materials away from landfills.”

If enacted, Washington would become the seventh U.S. state to implement an EPR program for packaging, joining Maine, Oregon, California, Colorado, Maryland, and Minnesota. British Columbia has operated a province-wide EPR program for more than a decade.

“Thank you to Sen. Lovelett for being a great partner in getting this policy moved forward,” said Rep. Liz Berry, D-Seattle, who sponsored the companion bill in the House. “I am excited that Washington will have a better recycling system that holds producers responsible and gives all communities access to recycling.”

EPR programs require companies to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their product packaging after consumer use. That includes items such as plastic bottles, metal cans, glass containers, and paperboard boxes. Under the legislation, Washington’s EPR system would be fully implemented by 2030.

Currently, more than half of all packaging and paper waste in the state ends up in landfills, according to the Department of Ecology. Just 58% of jurisdictions offer curbside recycling, and 11 counties have no curbside service at all.

The Department of Ecology, which would oversee the program, estimates that the legislation would expand recycling access to an additional 500,000 households, particularly in rural and multi-family housing areas. Packaging producers would bear the primary costs of collection and processing—expenses currently covered by local governments—potentially lowering utility bills for residents.

The Senate is expected to vote on the amended measure in the final days of the legislative session, which is scheduled to adjourn April 27.