OLYMPIA – House Bill 1085, which reduces plastic pollution in three distinct ways, unanimously passed the House yesterday. Sponsored by Rep. Sharlett Mena (D-Tacoma), the bill tackles the issue of excess plastic pollution by requiring that any new construction that requires a drinking fountain must also have a bottle filling station, eventually prohibiting lodging establishments from providing personal health or beauty products in plastic containers, and prohibiting the sale of expanded or extruded plastic foam overwater structures.
“Plastic pollution and micro plastics are harming our environment, our marine wildlife, and bodies. For context, since 1983, we’ve generated 85 billion metric tons of plastic waste and for further context that would be equal to the weight of 25,000 Empire State Buildings. And this is a really big problem in Washington because we are a water state. We’re home, not only to the nation’s largest estuary, but thousands of rivers and streams,” said Mena. “We can do better. This bill helps us chip away at plastic pollution in three simple ways. It will help prevent those little microplastics from getting into the water, protecting our salmon, and our way of life in the Pacific Northwest.”
To achieve its goals, HB 1085 engages several different government agencies and councils. After extensive consultation with industry groups, the bill also allows for differing implementation timelines. The bill will add the requirement of a water bottle filling station to the State Building Code with the requirement that the State Building Code Council updates its rules by July 1, 2026.
Lodging establishments have until January 1, 2027 for establishments with 50 or more units and January 1, 2028 for smaller establishments to transition away from providing soap, shampoo, or shower products in plastic containers smaller than 6 ounces, plastic wrappers, or other plastic packaging. The Department of Ecology is tasked with implementing rules to enforce these requirements and fines may be appealed to the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB). The bill requires that Ecology enforcement is based on complaints and requires Ecology to build a complaint filing forum.
Finally, beginning January 1, 2024, overwater structures containing expanded or extruded plastic foam or foam blocks are prohibited unless the foam is fully enclosed in a sturdy shell. The bill tasks Ecology with enforcing these requirements. Penalties of up to $10,000 may be appealed to the PCHB.
During her floor speech, Rep. Mena commented on the importance of this legislation to young people.
“I have engaged with so many youth advocates who are asking us to step up and do something, who are asking us to leave them a planet that is habitable and healthy. It is often said that kids are our future, but it is our responsibility to them to have a clean and prosperous future.”
HB 1085 passed the House with a vote of 97-0. It now heads to the Senate.