NSAC Applauds Washington State Legislature’s Passage of EPR for Packaging

Recycling Reform Act heads to Governor Ferguson, expanding access, standardizing systems, and supporting the recycling workforce

The National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) applauds the Washington State Legislature for passing the Recycling Reform Act (HB 1150/SB 5284)—a landmark Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill for packaging that now heads to Gov. Ferguson's desk. This bold step advances a circular economy that works for people, the planet, and the free market. By requiring producers to take financial and operational responsibility for the packaging they place on the market, Washington is positioning itself as a national leader in responsible materials management.

The bill will deliver:

• Expanded access to curbside recycling for more than 500,000 additional households by 2030—including rural and currently underserved communities.

• Streamlined, standardized recycling through statewide guidelines and multilingual public education to reduce confusion and contamination.

• Improved support for Washington’s recycling workforce, with incentives for fairer pay and safer working conditions for the thousands of workers keeping valuable materials in circulation.

NSAC commends the legislature for recognizing that true producer responsibility means closing the recycling access gap, delivering clear and consistent public education, and honoring the essential workers who power our recycling system.

We urge Gov. Ferguson to sign this bill into law and solidify Washington’s leadership in forward-thinking, accountable recycling reform.

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About the National Stewardship Action Council

The National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that advocates and provides consulting services to advance a responsible, circular economy, anywhere in the U.S., and at any level of government. NSAC has been instrumental in the passage of several first-in-the-nation laws such as SB 212 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for medicines and needles passing in 2018 and was a key negotiator of the packaging EPR law in California, SB 54 passed in 2022.