CMRA Northwest Chapter Meets

The Northwest chapter of the CMRA recently met and heard presentations from the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Washington State Employment Security Department, and Washington State Representative Dave Upthegrove. Michael Transue, executive director of the chapter, moderated the event.
Laura Davies, program manager, Waste2 Resources, Washington Department of Ecology, began the meeting with a discussion on upcoming revisions to the state regulations for solid waste and for landfills. The revision of RCW 7095, which was enacted more than 40 years ago, is designed to confront modern issues as well as clean up several instances where conflicting language is in the statute.

Randy Martin, Department of Ecology, provided background on the proposed changes to the so-called Transporter Rule regarding who can handle waste. The rule is the basis for the franchise system in Washington state.

Currently, a new enforcement policy for the rule, which was a common complaint as many said it was an uneven playing field. The policy is still under internal review. But whoever transports it will have to keep track of where each load came from and where it went.    

Janine Bogar, beyond waste coordinator, Department of Ecology, provided a report on the results from the state’s public hearing on changing RCW 7095. There were conflicting points made at the hearings, she said, and provided several of the comments the agency had heard.

Green job classifications was the subject of a talk by Greg Weeks, director, labor market and economic analysis, Washington State Employment Security Department.

The final speaker was Washington State Representative Dave Upthegrove who spoke about the state’s commitment to the environment, and two projects his Ecology Committee is trying to help. The first project involves cost saving in state government. There has already been a 27% reduction in state environmental agencies’ personnel, and another large budget gap is foreseen for next year. While this is not the Budget Committee, he said, his committee can re-evaluate programs to make sure they are cost effective. He then asked the assembled CMRA members to provide any input they might have on reducing costs.

The second project is to work collaboratively on the issues that are stopping the state recycling rate from rising. There then ensued a lively question and answer session between the recyclers and the representative that included discussion on how to maintain funding for those governmental agencies reliant on waste generation, while recycling removes that funding.

| More...