Olympia offers free assessments for organic management compliance 

Olympia is offering free waste assessment to help businesses comply with the state of Washington's phased-in organics management law.  

Businesses interested in switching to composting can request a free waste assessment by emailing Senior Program Specialist Spencer Orman at sorman@ci.olympia.wa.us  or calling 360-753-8752.

The Organics Management Law, which aims to reduce methane emissions created when organic materials decompose in a landfill, was passed in 2022 and updated in 2024. The law requires businesses to divert food and yard waste they generate through a phased-in approach over the next few years. Businesses that produce a certain amount of organic waste must arrange for organic materials management services.  

Businesses are required to comply with the following timeline: 

• Jan. 1, 2024 — applies to businesses generating 8 cubic yards or more of organic waste.  

• Jan. 1, 2025 — applies to businesses generating 4 cubic yards or more per week. 

• Jan. 1, 2026 — applies to any business generating more than 96 gallons of organic waste per week. 

Under the law, a business is defined as any for-profit or nonprofit entity engaged in commercial or public activities. This includes, but not limited to, grocery stores, restaurants, manufacturers, hotels, caterers, firms, corporations, associations, schools, churches, hospitals, and public agencies. However, multifamily residential entities are excluded from this law's definition. 

Organic material waste includes: 

• Food waste: Any waste from fruits, vegetables, meats (includes bones), dairy products, fish (includes bones and shells), nuts, grains, and similar materials from storage, preparation, cooking, handling, selling, or serving of food for human consumption.  

• Yard waste: Landscape and garden debris, including lawn clippings, leaves, small branches, twigs, grass clippings and plants.  

• Other organic waste: Manure, food processing waste, and clean, non-treated, non-painted and non-stained wood.  

 "We're fortunate that large producers in Olympia have generally been composting their organics for some time now," Waste ReSources Director Gary Franks said.

"It's mostly the businesses that generate less material that may not yet know about the coming 2026 thresholds. Some of these entities may be eager to get started and, if so, we can help." 

Exemptions to the law include businesses that: 

• Compost or manage organic material on-site. 

• Donate or sell waste for off-site agricultural use.

• Self-haul organics to a composting facility. 
• Are responding to a natural disaster.