Kimberly Goetz, legislative coordinator, Washington State Department of Ecology, detailed two new laws impacting the consumer products industry. A post-consumer recycled content requirement covers household cleaners and personal care cleansers, but does not include I&I cleaners.

Under the new law, household cleaners and personal care product packaging must contain 15% post-consumer resin from Jan. 1, 2025 onwards. That percentage climbs to 25% by Jan. 1, 2028, and 50% by Jan. 1, 2031.

These goals can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as supply and demand of post-consumer recycled content (PCRC), the availability of PCRC and the capacity of recycling processing infrastructure. As a result, industry can request temporarily decreased requirements, but Goetz urged the audience to make those requests early and with as much supporting information as possible. Exclusions may be granted for products that cannot comply with Washington’s law without violating a federal regulation.

The other Washington law impacting HCPA members is Safer Products for Washington. It seeks to “equitably reduce exposure to toxic chemicals from consumer products and prevent the release of toxic chemicals into the environment.” It takes a hazard-based approach to rulemaking. Goetz argued that such an approach avoids monetary and environmental costs associated with cleanups.

“We base decisions on science and public input. We communicate our approach and process with the public,” she explained. “We prioritize equitable reduction of exposure to toxic chemicals in people, and protection of aquatic and terrestrial systems in Washington.”

What’s next for Washington? Goetz said the state is working with the cosmetics industry to study lead levels. “We need to document it,” she concluded.

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