Improving Washington's solid waste management outcomes.

The bill title was changed from 'Second Substitute Senate Bill' to 'Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill' to indicate it has passed both legislative chambers.

The restriction on fee usage was updated to explicitly state that fees collected 'from producers' cannot be used for lobbying or political advocacy.

Added 'beverage' and 'beverage container' definitions and included beverages in the list of covered materials, expanding the program's reach.

Modified the definition of 'producer' to explicitly exclude distributors of beverages sold in beverage containers.

Modified the worker compensation requirement in Section 304 to apply to employers at facilities managing 25,000 tons or more of covered materials annually, rather than just over 25,000 tons.

Adjusted the timeline for the department to determine one-time registration fees to July 1, 2026, and modified the reuse financial assistance funding target to begin in 2029 instead of 2027.

Updated the reuse financial assistance program funding requirement to be sufficient to achieve specific reuse and return rate targets, with a minimum of $5,000,000 starting in 2029.

Added definitions for 'de minimis producer' agricultural employers and expanded the definition of 'reuse' to include specific design and logistics criteria.

The bill was transferred from the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology committee to the Senate Ways & Means committee, and the first reading date was updated to February 28, 2025.

Packaging used for bulk construction materials is now explicitly exempted from the covered materials list.

The criteria for materials to qualify as exempt were updated to reference the new subsection (o) instead of the old (n), and the text was reorganized to include new categories.

New requirements mandate that the advisory council prioritize the representation of diverse communities and marginalized groups.

A new section allows groups of producers to propose and manage alternative collection plans for specific materials, subject to department approval.

New requirements for needs assessments include evaluating service gaps in overburdened communities and conducting voluntary interviews on infrastructure costs.

A new section requires an equity study to analyze facilities managing covered materials and their environmental justice impacts.

Education and outreach materials must now be accessible in multiple languages and culturally appropriate formats to reach non-English-speaking communities.