Model ordinances for organics management

Determination of Nonsignificance for model ordinances 

We released model ordinances to support local governments divert organic materials from landfills in January 2025. Organic materials in landfills produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Landfilling these materials also misses economic opportunities to recycle organic materials into compost or other product. These ordinances are optional for cities and counties to adopt. They provide draft language for 

1. Requiring waste reduction, diversion, and management plans as part of special event permits; and 
2. Implementing mandatory organics collection for single-family residents and certain businesses within the Organics Recycling Collection Area (ORCA) (RCW 70A.205.540) and/or Business Organics Management Area (BOMA) (RCW 70A.205.545); and 
3. Requiring new buildings to design for organic materials collection when 0.25 cubic yards per week or more of organic waste are anticipated to be generated at the final site. 

We put the model ordinances through a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and made a Determination of Nonsignificance (DNS) (SEPA Number 202500041). A comment period was open from Jan. 7 to Jan. 28, 2025. We updated the model ordinance document and the related SEPA documents with responses to comments in February 2025.

Documents 

Local SEPA reviews 

Local governments may ultimately need to pass an ordinance to comply with parts of the Organics Management Law, including curbside collection service. If local governments use the model ordinances, a local SEPA review may not be required per RCW 70A.207.030. Changes to ordinance language that have foreseeable impacts to the natural or built environment will require an additional SEPA review at the local level. 

The SEPA proposal and DNS was not project or site specific. It did not evaluate specific impacts or emissions for a project. Local and site-specific projects will need to evaluate the potential environmental impacts in an additional SEPA review. Local governments and agencies can build on information in the DNS (SEPA Number 202500041) with project-level specific analysis. By itself the DNS is likely not sufficient to replace local project-level reviews. Local SEPA rules vary. Check with your local SEPA lead agency if you have questions.