Products required to meet recycled content minimums

Exempt products

The following products are fully exempt from registration, reporting, fee payment, and minimum PCRC percentage or labeling requirements:

• Medical food, medical devices, dietary supplements, and baby formula.
• Prescription or non-prescription drugs as defined in RCW 18.64.011(14) and regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
• Dietary supplements as defined in RCW 82.08.0293. These products must be labeled with a supplement facts box and not labeled with a nutrition facts box. These could include vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, amino acids, or other substances intended to supplement human total dietary intake.
• Aerosols in plastic containers.
• Plastic trash bags used for biomedical wastes.
• Products in reusable containers intended to function in a system of reuse. 
• Liners, caps, corks, closures, labels, and other items added externally or internally but otherwise separate from the structure of the bottle or container.
• Pouches used to contain beverages.

Product categories

Products listed below as “included” are required by law to register, report, pay fees, and meet minimum PCRC percentages or labeling requirements. Products listed as “not included” are not subject to the law.

Plastic trash bags

Anatomy of covered trash bags

Gauge: the thickness of a trash bag
Mil: one-thousandth of an inch (.001)
Gauge requirement: at least 0.70 mils thick

Included:

• Covered trash bags include bags made of non-compostable plastic, garbage bags, recycling bags, lawn or leaf bags, can liner bags, kitchen bags, compactor bags, and similar bags used for waste
• Trash bags  used in household, commercial, or industrial settings
• Trash bags are required to meet additional labeling requirements in RCW 70A.245.060
• Plastic pet waste bags are included if they are non-compostable and are at least 0.70 mils thick
• Only applies to bags marketed for use with waste or recyclables. Waste bags sold within a larger bag as the packaging are still covered products

Not included:

• Compostable trash bags that meet the requirements of Washington plastic product degradability law (Chapter 70A.455 RCW) are not covered trash bags.
• Plastic bags designed and manufactured for dangerous waste or biomedical waste   are required to meet content requirements. However, they are not required to meet labeling requirements.

Plastic beverage containers

Anatomy of covered plastic beverage containers

Mouth: The opening of the plastic container.
Neck: The screw-threaded part of the plastic container holding the cap or closure.
Base: The bottom part of the plastic bottle where the recycling code, material mark, or other decoration can be applied. A plastic container can stand stably on the shelf with a base.

Included

• Plastic beverage containers are bottles and other rigid containers made of one or more plastic resins.
• Only sealed plastic beverage containers must meet the requirements.
• Plastic beverage containers' sizes range from two fluid ounces to one gallon.
• Plastic beverage containers can hold water, flavored water, beer, spirits, soda, juice, or any other beverage.
  • Beverages can be for either human or animal consumption.
  • Beverages includes ready-to-drink as well as business-to-business sales.
  • Beverages include liquids with added supplements, such as Vitamin C. The exclusion for dietary supplements only applies when the product lacks a “Nutrition Facts” label and only has a “Supplement Facts” label.

Not included

• Plastic beverage containers that are refillable and function in a system of reuse.
• Liners, caps, corks, closures, and labels.
• Containers for some medical, prescription drug, or dietary purposes.
• Open cups like SOLO® cups are not subject to the requirements.
• Open cups that are sealed in the store before handing them to the customer.
• Pouches or bladders used to contain a beverage.

Plastic household cleaning & personal care products

Anatomy of covered household cleaning and personal care products in bottles

Mouth: The opening of the plastic bottle.
Neck: The screw-threaded bottle part holding the cap or closure.
Base: The bottom part of the plastic bottle where recycling code and material mark are located. Plastic bottles can stand stably on the shelf with a base. In some cases, the base may also be the mouth of the bottle. 

Included:

• Plastic containers for household cleaning and personal care products include bottles, jugs, and other rigid containers made of one or multiple plastic resins.
• Plastic containers for household cleaning and personal care products are covered if they have a neck or mouth smaller than the base and maintain their shape when empty.
  • Wipes in plastic containers with a mouth that is narrower than the base.
• Plastic containers range from eight ounces or equivalent volume up to and including five gallons or equivalent volume.
• Air cleaners and air fresheners used to care for fabric or other surfaces, for example fabric refresher or air freshener spray.

Not included:

• Refillable containers that function in a system of reuse.
  • A system of re-use includes products sold in a powder form to be added to a container and reconstituted for reuse. Examples would include window cleaners where refill pouches are sold separately and intended to be mixed with water in an existing container owned by the consumer. 
• Bottles used with medical products.
• Household cleaning products sold for use exclusively in institutional or commercial settings.

Plastic wine containers

Anatomy of covered plastic wine containers

Mouth: The opening of the plastic container.
Neck: The screw-threaded part of the plastic container holding the cap or closure.
Base: The bottom part of the plastic container where the recycling code, material mark is located. A plastic container can stand stably on the shelf with a base. 

Included

• Plastic wine containers are bottles and other rigid containers made of one or more plastic resins.
• Plastic wine containers are limited in size to only 187-milliliter containers. 
• Only sealed plastic wine containers must meet the requirements.

Not included

• Plastic wine containers that are refillable and function in a system of reuse.
• Plastic beverage bladders or pouches.
• Liners, caps, corks, closures, and labels.
• Containers for some medical, prescription drug, or dietary purposes.
• Open cups sealed in-store before being handed to the customer.

Plastic dairy milk containers

Anatomy of covered plastic dairy milk containers

Mouth: The opening of the plastic container.
Neck: The screw-threaded part of the plastic container holding the cap or closure.
Base: The bottom part of the plastic container where the recycling code, material mark is located. A plastic container can stand stably on the shelf with a base. 

Included

• Plastic dairy milk containers are bottles and other rigid containers made of one or more plastic resins.
• Only sealed plastic dairy milk containers must meet the requirements.
• Plastic dairy milk containers' sizes range from two fluid ounces to one gallon.
• Plastic dairy milk containers can hold milk, creamers, and non-dairy milk are covered dairy milk containers.
  • Beverages can be for both human and animal consumption.
  • Dairy milk containers is not limited to “ready-to-drink” products and also include business-to-business sales.

Not included

• Plastic dairy milk containers that are refillable and function in a system of reuse.
• Liners, caps, corks, closures, and labels.
• Containers for some medical, prescription drug, or dietary purposes.
• Open cups sealed in store before being handed to the customer.