Ecology invites feedback on solid waste management plans

Fri., April 9, 2010

The Washington Department of Ecology will hold three workshops in Eastern Washington next week to gather information and hear about issues related to the state’s solid waste management and recycling laws. Washington is a leader in solid waste management and recycling. In the mid-1980s Washington’s recycling rate was less than 20 percent. Significant recycling and waste reduction laws were passed in 1989. Since then, local governments have implemented programs and policies to achieve higher recycling rates. Private industry has invested in equipment to collect recyclable materials. Citizen participation in recycling programs has increased. Markets responded to new available flows of material. Today, our recycling rate is 45 percent. “We want to hear from everyone interested in our solid waste and recycling systems,” said Jay Shepard, Ecology Waste 2 Resources Program. “It’s important that we start looking at these resources as materials of commerce rather than garbage.” The workshops are: * April 13: Ephrata, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., Grant County Public Works, 124 Enterprise St SE * April 14: Yakima, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. , Department of Ecology, 15 West Yakima Ave, Suite 200 * April 15: Spokane, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., Magnuson Center, 2917 W. Fort George Wright drive. Even though recycling rates have improved, waste generated continues to grow: nearly 16 million tons in 2008, more than 2 ½ tons per person. Some of it was recycled or otherwise diverted from disposal. But 9 million tons was thrown away, even though much of didn’t need to be treated as waste. Since 2003, we’ve buried more than $1 billion worth of recyclable materials in landfills. We have yet to reach our 50 percent recycling goal set in the law. And the amount of waste created continues to grow — from 6.6 pounds per person in 2000 to 7.5 pounds per person in 2008. New approaches to handling materials bring new challenges to protecting human health and the environment. We now have products that weren’t imagined when our original solid waste laws were passed. We also have new types of solid waste handling facilities and technologies, along with a lot more waste. Reducing and recycling wastes saves energy, reduces pollution and conserves natural resources. The Legislature established priorities for solid waste management. They start with waste reduction, then recycling. The last resort is disposal. The state solid and hazardous waste management plan, called “Beyond Waste,” set a goal to reduce most wastes and toxic substances.

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