Zero Waste Washington

EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND DECISION-MAKERS ABOUT WASTE PREVENTION AND REDUCTION, EFFECTIVE RECYCLING, PLASTIC AND TOXIC POLLUTION, AND PRODECER RESPONSIBILITY, AND DRIVE POLICY CHANGES FOR A HEALTHY AND WASTE FREE WORLD.

BUILDING THE MOVEMENT, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND COMMUNICATIONS ZERO WASTE WASHINGTON PARTNERS WITH MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING TO ENCOURAGE RECYCLING, REDUCE WASTE AND SUPPORT A CIRCULAR ECONOMY, AND ESPECIALLY TO SUPPORT REUSE OF ITEMS . IN 2022, WE LAUNCHED THE PRECYCLE INNOVATION CHALLENGE - A PITCH COMPETITION FOR THE BEST BUSINESS PRODUCT, SERVICE, OR IDEA THAT ADDRESSES WASTE REDUCTION AND WASTE SOLUTIONS. WE CONVENED THE LEADERS OF TOOL LIBRARIES, FIX-IT EVENTS AND MAKER SPACES FOR AN ANNUAL INFORMATION-EXCHANGE SUMMIT. WE PILOTED A PROGRAM IN WHICH VOLUNTEERS REPAIR AND REFURBISH DAMAGED FURNITURE, DESIGNATED AS GARBAGE, AND PROVIDE THE FURNITURE TO RECENT REFUGEE AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES. STATEWIDE, WE DELIVERED PRESENTATIONS TO BOLSTER THE GROWING ZERO WASTE MOVEMENT BY SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE ACTIONS THAT REDUCE WASTE, AS WELL AS POLICY SOLUTIONS. WE REGULARLY COMMUNICATED WITH OUR MEMBERS AND OTHERS THROUGH NEWSLETTERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA. WE NURTURED NEW ZERO WASTE COMMUNITY GROUPS AND CELEBRATED OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY

STATE AND LOCAL POLICY ZERO WASTE WASHINGTON WORKED WITH OUR MANY PARTNERS TO HELP PASS A GROUNDBREAKING LAW HB1799 TO DIVERT ORGANICS YARD WASTE AND FOOD WASTE FROM LANDFILLS. LANDFILLS ARE A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF METHANE DUE TO ROTTING GREEN WASTE AND FOOD WASTE. METHANE IS MUCH MORE POTENT THAN CO2 IN THE NEAR-TERM. HB1799 SETS A TARGET TO REDUCE ORGANIC WASTE DISPOSAL 75 BY 2030 AND INCREASE THE VOLUME OF EDIBLE FOOD RECOVERY 20 BY 2025. IT ALSO REQUIRES BUSINESSES TO DO ON-SITE MANAGEMENT OR HAVE THEIR ORGANIC MATERIAL PICKED UP FOR COMPOSTING OR OTHER USES. FARMERS WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR BUYING COMPOST. WE ALSO HELPED PASS LEGISLATION HB1033 TO CAPTURE MORE METHANE GAS FROM LANDFILLS. ADDITIONALLY, WE SUPPORTED OTHER BILLS TO REGULATE TOXIC PFAS THE FOREVER CHEMICAL IN PRODUCTS. WE ALSO MADE PROGRESS ON KEY POLICIES MODERNIZING OUR RECYCLING SYSTEM, BATTERY RECYCLING, RIGHT TO REPAIR AND WIND TURBINE BLADE RECYCLING. WE SERVED ON THE STATES SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND OTHER COMMITTEES AND PROVIDED IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS.

PLASTIC POLLUTION AND RECYCLING ZERO WASTE WASHINGTON WORKS TO PREVENT PLASTICS POLLUTION AND STRENGTHEN RECYCLING, WHILE PROVIDING RESEARCH AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND STATE LEGISLATORS. THIS YEAR, WE CONTINUED OUR WORK WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND YOUTH GROUPS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE WIDESPREAD IMPACTS OF PLASTIC. OUR YOUTH PROGRAM HELPS SUPPORT EMPOWERMENT OF FUTURE LEADERS, PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED BY POLLUTION. WE CO-HOSTED A MAJOR LITTER SUMMIT THAT HIGHLIGHTED KEY PROBLEM AREAS AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS BY CITIES AND COUNTIES. IN KING COUNTY, WE LAUNCHED A MINI-GRANT PROGRAM FOR RESTAURANTS AND COFFEE SHOPS TO FUND THEIR SWITCH FROM SINGLE-USE DISPOSABLES TO DURABLE, REUSABLES PLATES, CUPS, GLASSES AND CUTLERY. WE DEVELOPED MODEL ORDINANCES AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO SUPPORT DECISION-MAKERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ADVOCATING FOR LOCAL ORDINANCES REDUCING THE USE OF PLASTIC. WE ARE SEEN AS A RESOURCE TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES ON THIS TOPIC.