Public Comment Form

Commenting open: July 08, 2025 12:00AM PT - July 30, 2025 11:59PM PT.

Modernizing Washington's Litter Prevention and Cleanup Funding- Proposed Agency Request Legislation

Ecology is considering legislation to modernize Washington’s litter tax to better reflect the types of litter found today.

The tax, established in 1971, applies to 13 product categories still commonly found in litter, like food packaging and cigarette butts. A 2022 study found that nearly half of the state’s litter by weight comes from materials not currently covered by the litter tax—including construction materials and motor vehicle products. These materials are among the fastest-accumulating types of litter in Washington. Updating the tax to include these two product categories would help better align it with today’s litter challenges and provide the funding needed to address this growing problem.


Ecology is also considering updating RCW 70A.200.020 and RCW 70A.200.140 to remove language regarding the “employment of youth,” to align the statute with modern program operations, which include year-round staffing of adult crews. 


If you have any questions about this specific proposal, please contact:

Julie Robertson

(360) 763-2728

julie.robertson@ecy.wa.gov

or

Mia Altieri

(564) 669-1136

mia.altieri@ecy.wa.gov



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Comments are due by 11:59PM (PST) on July 30, 2025.
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