Washington State Update: Mandatory PCR Reporting Begins for Personal Care Products

The Washington State Department of Ecology has officially opened the 2026 Plastic Producer Registration and Reporting Cycle. While annual registration applies to all producers, this cycle marks a significant compliance milestone specifically for the Personal Care and Household Cleaning sectors.

Key Deadline:

Reporting Window: Currently Open

Submission Deadline: April 1, 2026

New Requirement: Personal Care Products

For the first time, producers of plastic containers for household cleaning and personal care products must submit annual reports on recycled content. This reporting requirement is triggered because the statutory minimum for these categories took effect in 2025. You must now report on the resin sold into Washington during the 2025 calendar year to demonstrate compliance with this new standard.

Recycled Content Targets (PCR):

Based on the compliance timeline, personal care producers should be aware of the current active requirement and the future increases mandated by law:

Current Requirement (2025): Your packaging must meet a 15% minimum PCR content standard.

Future Increase (2028): The requirement will jump to 25%.

Long-Term Goal (2031): The standard increases significantly to 50%.

Action Required:

Register: Log in to the Waste Reduction Portal.

Report: Submit your data for the 2025 calendar year, ensuring you account for the 15% PCR requirement if you are in the personal care sector.

Verify: Ensure that even if you are a de minimis producer, you complete the annual registration as required by law.

Failure to register and report by April 1, 2026, may result in non-compliance penalties. We recommend gathering your 2025 resin weight and supplier certifications immediately to meet the deadline.