Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Dec. 3, 1998

98-204

Contact: Kip Eagles, recycling survey coordinator, (360) 407-6097
Caitlin Cormier, public information officer, (360) 407-6149

Washington's recycling rates plummet

OLYMPIA - The state of Washington once had one of the highest recycling rates in the country, but that record appears in jeopardy after two years of declines, including a 16.5 percent drop in the recycling rate in 1997.

The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) reports that the recycling rate for 1997 is 32.4 percent, down 6.4 percentage points (16.5 percent) from the year before. The 1996 rate had already dropped one percentage point (2.5 percent) from 1995.

"In 1989, the Waste Not Washington Act established a 50 percent recycling goal for the state of Washington," said Cullen Stephenson, who manages Ecology's solid-waste program. "We were on the way, well ahead of many other states, and it's disheartening to see those numbers in a downward slide."

The numbers reflect data for both residential and commercial waste, but do not include industrial solid waste. The amount of materials being recycled dropped by more than 400,000 tons throughout the state, while disposal at landfills increased by more than 400,000 tons.

Kip Eagles, Ecology's recycling-survey coordinator, said one primary factor influenced the change in the recycling rate.

"Disposal has increased. People and businesses are cutting back on separating out recyclables. But we know through research that access to recycling services is desired by the citizens of Washington state," Eagles said.

He also noted that financial incentives are currently on the side of disposal, where disposal and recycling industries are competing for the same materials. There has also been a decline in the Asian markets, which historically have been the destination for most of Washington's exported paper.

"This shouldn't affect consumers' decisions about whether to put their newspapers in the recycle bin versus the garbage can, but it does make it harder for the companies that collect the recyclables to market the materials," Eagles said.

"A significant part of the problem is education," added Stephenson. "Since education funds were cut off by the Legislature in 1995, the recycling rate has been in a decline. We added another 255,400 new residents in Washington between 1995 and 1997, so there's a large number of people who have not received ongoing information about recycling and its benefits to our environment."

Companies that are interested in manufacturing products with recycled content need to know they'll have a stable supply of materials, so it's important that consumers do their part to recycle everything they can. In addition, consumers can improve the market by seeking to purchase items made of recycled materials.

The recycling rate is only one measure of Washington's waste-management system. In the coming months, Ecology will seek more information about participation in curbside programs and the effectiveness of county outreach programs at promoting waste reduction and recycling.

In Washington state, solid waste is managed by local governments. The Department of Ecology collects data and supports local governments with technical assistance, information and grants. Ecology plans to meet with local governments, recyclers, waste haulers and citizen groups to discuss strategies.

There are several ways the public can assist in raising the recycling rate:

Be aware of what is thrown away and what is recyclable. Most recycling programs will accept paper products, glass and metal cans. Some programs accept plastic.
Buy products that are easy to recycle and are made from recycled materials.
Pay attention to food purchasing and buy only what will be consumed.
Consider composting yard and garden wastes at home or participating in a yard-waste collection program where the material is collected for composting.