(1)(a) Except as provided in (b) and (d) of this subsection, beginning January 1, 2028, in each jurisdiction planning under this chapter, the indoor or outdoor containers, including lids, smaller than 101 gallons provided to customers for collection services, including multifamily, commercial, government, and other public places, institutional, and curbside residential collection services, must be provided in a color-coded manner consistent with the requirements of subsection (2) of this section in order to reduce contamination.

(b) A jurisdiction or solid waste collection company is not required to replace a functional container or lid to match the coloring requirements in subsection (2) of this section. The requirements of this subsection apply only to solid waste collection containers purchased on or after August 1, 2025, and do not apply to solid waste collection containers purchased by a jurisdiction prior to August 1, 2025.

(c) Jurisdictions and solid waste collection companies are encouraged, prior to January 1, 2028, to provide solid waste collection containers, including lids, that are consistent with subsection (2) of this section.

(d) A jurisdiction planning under this chapter may petition the department for an exemption from the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.

(i) The department must grant a petition from a jurisdiction allowing the jurisdiction to use a color inconsistent with subsection (2) of this section for the purposes of a charitable program implemented by the jurisdiction, such as for purposes of fund-raising for a nonprofit organization.

(ii) The department may grant an exemption in response to a petition from a jurisdiction that demonstrates that the provision of color-coded containers consistent with subsection (2) of this section is not feasible, and the jurisdiction proposes an alternative plan to reduce contamination in the jurisdiction.

(iii) The department must grant an exemption in response to a petition from a jurisdiction that proposes an alternative plan and a timeline to transition its containers, by route, portion of service area or population, or other method, to be color-coded in a manner consistent with the requirements of subsection (2) of this section in the jurisdiction.

(2)(a)(i) In a jurisdiction where source-separated recyclable materials and source-separated organic materials are collected separately, a gray or black container may be used only for the collection of solid waste that is not a source-separated recyclable material or a source-separated organic material.

(ii) In a jurisdiction where source-separated recyclable materials or organic materials are not collected separately, a gray or black container may be used for any solid waste, including organic material or recyclable material that is not separately collected in the jurisdiction.

(b) A blue container may be used only for source-separated recyclable materials. The contents of the blue container must be intended for transport, directly or indirectly, to a facility that recovers the materials designated for collection in the blue container.

(c) A green or brown container may be used only for source-separated organic materials and the contents of green or brown-lidded containers must be intended for transport, directly or indirectly, to an organic materials management facility.

(d)(i) A color other than green, brown, blue, black, or gray may be used only in accordance with any statewide standards that the department elects to develop.

(ii) A jurisdiction may petition the department to continue the use of a dark green color for solid waste other than source-separated recyclable materials, and the department must grant the petition upon determining that the dark green color is easily distinguishable from a light green or brown color used by the jurisdiction for source-separated organic materials.

(e) The department may determine the appropriate container color to be used for materials that could conceivably be placed in multiple types of containers specified in (a) through (d) of this subsection.

(3)(a) By January 1, 2028, each container for curbside, commercial, or public place waste collection must bear a clear and conspicuous label on each container and lid, using background colors or a font that matches the coloring arrangement for containers and lids specified in subsection (2) of this section, specifying the categories of materials that are allowed to be placed in the container. The requirements of this subsection (3) may be satisfied by:

(i) A label placed on a container that includes either written text or graphic images, or both, that indicate the primary categories of materials accepted in that container; or

(ii) Imprinted text or graphic images that indicate the primary categories of materials accepted in that container.

(b) A container with a volume of at least one cubic yard must feature an area with a minimum of one foot by one foot area that contains the label required in (a) of this subsection, and label text with a font height of at least 5 inches.

(c) A container that is located indoors and does not have a lid or that contains multiple compartments must feature a visible label placed in proximity to the location in which solid waste is intended to be deposited.

(d) The requirements of this subsection (3) do not apply to a solid waste collection container that a jurisdiction plans to remove from service prior to January 1, 2030, in order to be consistent with the color-coding provisions of subsection (2) of this section.

(e) Local jurisdictions planning under this chapter are encouraged to provide labels under this subsection:

(i) In multiple languages; and

(ii) That specify the individual types of materials within each category of material that may be placed in each type of solid waste collection container.

(4) Carpets, noncompostable paper, and hazardous wood waste may not be collected in a green or brown container. The department may adopt rules to prohibit additional waste stream contaminants from being placed in a green or brown container or a blue container.

(5) Notwithstanding the applicability of an exemption under subsections (1) through (3) of this section, the contents of containers used for the collection of source-separated recyclable materials must be intended for transport to a facility that recovers the corresponding materials, and the contents of containers used for the collection of organic materials must be intended for transport, directly or indirectly, to an organic materials management facility.

(6) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(a)(i) "Blue container" means a container where the body of the container is blue and the lid is blue or black in color.

(ii) Hardware, such as hinges and wheels on a blue-lidded container, may be any color.

(b)(i) "Green or brown container" means a container where the body of the container is green or brown and the lid is green, brown, or black in color.

(ii) Hardware, such as hinges and wheels on a green or brown-lidded container, may be any color.

(c)(i) "Gray or black container" means a container where the body of the container is gray or black and the lid is gray or black in color.

(ii) Hardware, such as hinges and wheels on a gray or black-lidded container, may be any color.

(iii) A galvanized metal container or lid that is unpainted and gray or silver in appearance is considered to be a gray container or lid for purposes of this section.

Findings—Intent—2025 c 314: See note following RCW 70A.207.050.