The legislature finds that:
RCW 70A.505.010
Finding-Intent- 2024 c 339 : "(1) The legislature finds that in 2025 the state's stewardship program for the end-of-life management of mercury-containing lights is statutorily scheduled to undergo review and termination or possible extension under chapter 43.131 RCW, the sunset act. If the mercury-containing lights product stewardship program were allowed to sunset as scheduled, Washington residents would lose a consistent, convenient, and safe way to return unwanted mercury-containing lights, which will remain in use for years as existing inventory winds down, even as the lighting industry has moved away from most mercury-containing lights. Mercury-containing lights present such a significant health risk that other states have recently restricted their sale, which represents a solution to reduce the public health impacts of new lighting products, but does not address the end-of-life management issues associated with the existing light bulbs currently in use.
(2) The state's existing mercury-containing lights program, which was first enacted over a decade ago, contains policy provisions, including the establishment of a per-bulb fee attached to the sale of mercury-containing lights, that are now recognized as not representing the best practices for the design of stewardship programs.
(3) Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to:
(a) Restrict the sale of most mercury-containing lights;
(b) Extend the implementation of the stewardship program for mercury-containing lights; and
(c) Modernize key elements of the state's mercury-containing lights stewardship program." [2024 c 339 s 1.]