Legislation passed over the last 3 years aims to divert food and yard waste from landfills to reduce methane emissions and slow climate change. Schools in the ORCA Map areashould take note of the following timelines.
By April 1, 2027, cities and counties in an Organics Recycling Collection Area (ORCA) must:
- make year-round organics collection services available to non-residential customers that produce more than .25 cubic yards/45 gallons of organic waste per week.
- requires service to be provided at least 26 times per year to customers.
Starting April 1, 2030, customers in an ORCA must:
- have an organic waste collection service (i.e., the service becomes “non-elective”). Food waste must be permitted in collection containers, or the local government must have an alternative method to collect food waste from customers.
The Dept of Ecology is hosting Understanding the Organics Management Laws Requirements for Schools on May 28 from 10-11:30 am. Click on the link to register.
