||| FROM THE EXCHANGE |||
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| Happy New Year from The Exchange! |
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| 2024 was a great year at The Exchange—we reused and recycled more material than ever, saved a ton of carbon emissions thanks to our new Baler (which dramatically reduces the number of trucks that go off island), and added a huge solar array to the facility. The next big thing: composting. Did you know around 20% of the garbage we ship to the landfill is compostable? It’s mostly food waste that could be turned into beautiful soil for the island. In December, with the help of San Juan County’s Environmental Stewardship Department, we submitted a $1.4 Million dollar grant to the EPA to build a composting facility here at The Exchange. Cross your fingers and stay tuned in 2025 to see if we get it! In the meantime, learn more about how you can compost at home here. |
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| 2025 Legislative Cycle Heating Up! |
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| This should prove to be a very interesting year for waste and recycling legislation in Olympia. Several very progressive bills are ‘maturing’—in that they have been around for a while and should be inching closer to consensus. Top of the list is the Recycling Reform Act (HB1150) which would add Washington to the handful of states with real product stewardship laws in place. But there are several other interesting bills in play including a “Right To Repair” bill and a bill related to improving handling of food waste by improving composting systems. For more info on these and other legislative efforts, check out the work of our partners at www.zerowastewashington.org. |
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