Recycling Rate Dips in Washington State

The reduction is attributed to a decrease in the amount glass, paper and yard debris recycled by citizens and industry.

The official recycling rate is based on a required definition set forth in state law, which specifies the types of recycling to be tracked for certain types of waste. It includes most recycling of glass, plastic, paper and metals, and some recycling of tires and used oil.

However, other types of re-use and recycling are occurring that also ease the pressure on landfill, including land-clearing debris, asphalt, concrete, carpet and pads, furniture, construction and demolition debris, mattresses, batteries, ash, oil filters, paint and clothing.

The Ecology Department found that if the diverted materials not used in the recycling definition were included, the statewide rate would be roughly 45 percent.

“It’s disappointing that the rate has fallen for some of our key indicators, but in general we feel encouraged by what we’re seeing,” Cullen Stephenson, who manages Ecology’s solid-waste program, says. “Construction and demolition materials represent a significant amount of waste, so it’s great to see businesses going to greater efforts to re-use and recycle those resources—even if we can’t account for it in the overall recycling rate.”

Stephenson said a major portion of wood waste is being burned to create energy, but energy recovery does not fit the state’s definition of recycling and, therefore, cannot be counted in the recycling rate either.