Products required to meet recycled content minimums

This page will help producers determine whether their products are subject to Washington’s recycled content law (Chapter 70A.254 RCW).

Exempt products

  • Medical food, medical devices, dietary supplements, and baby formula
  • Prescription and non-prescription drugs as regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  • Biohazard waste bags for infectious, soiled, or contaminated medical linens or waste
  • Aerosols in plastic containers

Covered plastic beverage containers

This is a graphic of milk containers and other beverage containers.

Anatomy of covered plastic beverage containers

Mouth: The opening of the plastic bottle.
Neck: The screw-threaded part of the bottles that holds in place the cap or closure.
Base: The bottom part of the plastic bottle where recycling code, material mark, or other decoration can be applied. A plastic bottle 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.
  • Plastic beverage containers' sizes ranges from two fluid ounces up to and including one gallon.
  • Plastic beverage containers can be used to hold water, flavored water, beer, wine, spirits, soda, milk, juice, or any other beverage.
    • Beverages can be for both human and animal consumption.
    • Coffee creamers and non-dairy milks are considered beverages.

Not included:

  • Refillable containers that function in a system of reuse.
  • Bladders or pouches used for wine.
  • Liners, caps, corks, closures, and labels.
  • Containers for some medical, prescription drug, or dietary purposes.

Anatomy of covered plastic beverage containers

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

Covered trash bags

This is a graphic of a full trash bag.

Anatomy of covered trash bags

Gauge: 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.
  • Includes trash bags used in household, commercial, or industrial settings.
  • Trash bags are required to meet additional labeling requirements in RCW 70A.245.060.

Not included:

  • Compostable bags meeting the requirements of Washington plastic product degradability law (Chapter 70A.455 RCW).

  • 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.

Covered household cleaning & personal care products

This is a graphic of household cleaning products and 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 part of the bottle that holds that cap or closure in place.
Base: The bottom part of the plastic bottle where recycling code, material mark, or other decoration can be applied. Plastic bottles can stand stably on the shelf with a base.

Included:

  • Plastic bottles for household cleaning and personal care products include bottles, jugs, and other rigid containers made of one or multiple plastic resins.
  • Plastic bottles for household cleaning and personal care products are considered a covered product if they have a neck or mouth smaller than the base and maintain their shape when empty.
  • Plastic containers ranging from eight ounces or its equivalent volume up to and including five gallons or its equivalent volume.

Not included:

  • Refillable containers that function in a system of reuse.
  • Bottles used with medical products.

 

 

Covered tubes

This is a graphic of a plastic tube, a type of plastic packaging product covered by Washington's recycled content requirements.

Anatomy of covered tubes

Head: The screw-threaded part of the bottle that acts as the base for the cap or closure.
Shoulder: The area between the top of the body and the bottom of the head.
Body: The main part, where labels or printing can be applied.

Included

  • Tubes are a covered product if they have a neck smaller than their base and they maintain their shape when empty.
  • Covered plastic tubes range in size from eight ounces to five gallons.