Zero Waste Washington drives policy change for a healthy and waste-free world. We envision a just, equitable, and sustainable future where we all produce, consume, and reuse responsibly.
Long-term and beloved board member Steve Gilbert passed away on July 15th, leaving a huge hole in environmental stewardship in Washington State. Steve had a career in academia, research, and business, focusing largely on neurotoxicology. And, for the past 20 years, Steve was a leader in the Pacific NW, advocating for the reduction of toxic chemicals in products and processes, especially lead, mercury, flame retardants and pesticides, impacting both humans and wildlife. He also worked for world peace (genuinely!), nuclear disarmament, and social justice. Steve was a teacher, mentor, and an inspiration to all who had the good fortune to know him.
Steve was diagnosed many years ago with Parkinson’s Disease. He was able to be a model for others by successfully striving for non- or low-drug approaches, including deep brain stimulation. Here is a fascinating video where he explains the process: https://www.brainfacts.org/in-the-lab/tools-and-techniques/2018/steves-deep-brain-091018
In state-wide and local meetings, including task forces, workgroups, and hearings, Steve commanded the room. He was not afraid to say what others were thinking but did not say…. giving others the courage to speak up. He knew the facts and provided detailed comments to back up his points. He had a straight-forward approach that was clear, informed, and genuine. In other words, he was a terrific communicator! And in this way, he earned great respect of staff, colleagues, and likely even the lobbyists on the industry side.
Steve helped support passage of ground-breaking bills in the state legislature and followed through to ensure strong implementation during rule making and other processes. He also wrote a book, A Small Dose of Toxicology, which helped make toxic chemicals and their effects understandable to the public. It has been translated into Spanish, German, Arabic and Chinese and is free for all to read and use at his comprehensive public-friendly website: Toxipedia
Steve Gilbert was a kind and generous guy. He noticed how people were feeling and could be counted on to reach out in friendship with a kind word or his infectious smile. He and his wife, Janice, opened up their home and hosted countless gatherings and fundraisers for causes and candidates for public office. He was devoted to his family and was full of stories about his experiences, and his love for his grandkids.
Steve, we miss you! You brought your expertise and your inspiration to us at Zero Waste Washington for so many years. You have left a long and lasting legacy which has given us courage and the smarts to continue to fight the good fight.
Read more about Steve’s accomplishments and life here https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/redmond-wa/steven-gilbert-12455925
Mattress recycling (specifically, extended producer responsibility) is one bill topic on-deck. Mattresses are very recyclable, and yet, each year tons of mattresses continue to be sent to landfills in Washington
After an amazing 2025 legislative session, everyone took a short but well-deserved rest. Now, slowly, action is picking up and we are starting to prep bills for January 2026. Topics under discussion include:
- Mattress recycling bill
- Textile and apparel recycling bill
- EV battery recycling bill
- Better bag bill
- Bottle bill
- Litter tax bill
- And more….
Our legislative champions are starting to convene stakeholder meetings. Things will really heat up in December.
In the meantime, please join our activist list, if you are not already signed up, so that you can receive regular updates about how to help during session: here
It’s time to celebrate! Together with our amazing partners, we are planning a celebration of the passage of the Recycling Reform Act in September. We would love to have you join us! See friends and enjoy a picnic lunch. If you are interested in attending, please email Heather at heather@zerowastewashington.org for details.
Thank you all for your help in moving important zero waste bills forward. If you have any questions, please contact Heather at heather@zerowastewashington.org.
The new warehouse space for the Furniture Repair Bank, double the existing space!
We are beyond thrilled to announce that, as of June 1, the Furniture Repair Bank is now its own nonprofit. Xenia Dolovova and her team developed the furniture bank over several years and it has grown and grown! With a dedicated staff and volunteer corps, there is now a steady flow of damaged furniture coming through, being refurbished and going out for free to families in need.
The furniture bank outgrew its current warehouse space and is moving in September to a new space, just a few doors down, that is double the size (see photo to the right)! Zero Waste Washington will be moving, too. We will have office and storage space at the new location.
To volunteer, provide furniture and other donations, and for more information about the Furniture Repair Bank, please go here https://www.repairbank.org/
Thanks to a terrific King County RE+ grant, Zero Waste Washington is working with schools in King County (outside of Seattle) to move from cartons of milk to bulk milk dispensers. The 8-ounce milk cartons are not recyclable at most of our recycling facilities, and often milk carton waste is one of the largest sources of waste from school cafeterias. We have funds to provide bulk milk dispensers, cups, racks, carts, tables and all of the needed infrastructure for more schools. If you know of a school that might be interested, please let us know!
Students at TAF@Saghalie in Federal Way conducting a milk waste audit, milk cartons that we are aiming to replace, and Chef Tom French, last week, getting brand new milk dispensers and other infrastructure set up in time for school starting next week in Federal Way.
For more information or if you know of a school that might be interested, please contact Steph at steph@zerowastewashington.org or Heather at heather@zerowastewashington
By Nayeli Campos, Community Outreach and Policy Coordinator, with Aashay Savla, Aash Farms
Over the past two years, Zero Waste Washington, in partnership with King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap and Skagit counties as well as conservation districts and others, worked to help farmers reduce plastic waste. Thanks to a Washington State Department of Ecology Public Participation Grant, and with support from University Rotary, we launched a Farm Waste Reduction Project.
All of our pilot projects originated from interviews with over 50 farmers across 14 counties in Washington. We interviewed farmers to identify their waste challenges. The projects, completed in June, were a 50/50 cost share for durable nursery trays, provision of free reusable CSA/delivery boxes to trial, and four regional recycling collection events for nursery trays and pots.
To find out more about this project, please see fact sheet here and Final Project Report including pilot results, and farmer feedback here.
Some of the durable nursery trays in action. Photo credits (left to right): Emma Shore, Long Way Farm, and Jo Vance.
A farmer’s perspective
Aash and some of his amazing produce.
One of the pilot project participants in our 50/50 cost share for durable nursery trays is Aashay Savla, (Aash), owner of Aash Farms in Woodinville, WA. Aash (pictured above in the banner) agreed to be interviewed about his experience.
“We’re making large environmental differences when you get these messages across to a wider audience that’s buying at scale… food safety differences, climate change differences, monetary differences, long term. There’s a host of changes that could happen at scale.” – Aash Savla, Aash Farms
Aash is in his fifth year of farming and is part of the Viva Farms Business Incubator Program where he has developed sales channels ranging from restaurants, to farmers markets, and food access organizations. He also operates a distribution network for 25 local sustainable farms, helping other farmers access markets while championing regenerative agriculture.
From Finance to Farming
“I had never really put my hands in soil prior to the Viva Program” – Aash Savla
After 15 years in financial services, Aash took a leap. He traveled internationally to study food systems and eventually landed in Washington. His focus is building a sustainable food model from the ground up. “Our food system in America, in general, is not going in a great direction, and that’s leading to issues in climate change,” he says. “It’s leading to things that are the opposite of sustainability. I made sustainability the forefront of what I was going to use as the base, and then farming really came second.”
Why Durable Options Matter
Aash first heard about our 50% cost-share program for durable Winstrip nursery trays through the farmer networks he’s active in. For him, the decision to apply came down to what he calls the “third layer” of farm sustainability. “It really stood out to me that these are things that are on this third layer of sustainability,” he explains. “The tools that you’re using—are they going to last? So, you’re not throwing them away every year and having to rebuy new stuff, because if every farmer did that, because we’re buying these things in scale, it’s terrible for the environment.”
As someone who works closely with 25 other farms through Viva, Aash knows his choices can influence others. “If I’m buying cheap plastic trays and throwing them away every year, that tells 25 of these farmers, ‘Hey, he’s doing it. He’s doing great. I should do that too.’” Instead, he sees value in leading by example and investing in quality tools and sharing their value with his peers.
Aash holding some of his 128-cell trays filled with seedlings.
Testing Durable Nursery Trays
The “lead by example” approach Aash practices within his farming community was also one of the goals of our agricultural waste pilot project. We wanted to show real farmers testing these products in real-world conditions to inspire other farmers to try them as well.
After participating in the Winstrip nursery tray cost-share pilot, many farmers shared that they had been wanting to try these trays for years but could not afford them. The project not only gave them a low-risk opportunity to test the trays in their own operations but also helped them see the long-term value of investing in durable products. As one participant noted, “I am always very conscious of plastic wastage, especially single use plastic. I have always wanted to find an alternative to the thin plastic trays, but Winstrip trays are very expensive, so I was hesitant. But after using them and considering the long-term value, I think it is worth the price.”
Another farmer reflected, “Long-term solutions may cost more, but usually end up being more reliable in the end!”
But they’re not the only ones that were wary about testing the trays. Before the pilot, Aash was hesitant to invest in the 128-cell Winstrip trays because he was concerned about whether they’d work for his crops. The project gave him the chance to test them without shouldering the full financial risk. “How am I going to invest all this money into something that I don’t know for sure it’s going to work. So, this program was super helpful,” he says.
The Results: Higher Yields, Lower Labor, Less Waste
“My yields have gone up like crazy… quality has gone up, my consistency has gone up. It’s been great—feed more people, make more money.” – Aash Savla
Switching from 50-cell and 72-cell single-use thin plastic trays to 128-cell durable trays nearly doubled his yield in the same propagation space. Initially, there were some concerns about the size, “With 128 there’s only this much soil,” he says, holding up his fingers to show the tiny size of each cell. “There’s a host of things that could happen—molding, non-germination…plants blocking each other out” he says. “And this program allowed me, and it gave me some power, to try these things, and figure out how to make it work.” He’s happy to report that the new trays have been working better than he could have imagined. “I’ve already been able to sell almost double the amount of lettuce that I have in any given month since I started farming. So, it’s been a giant increase.”
But it’s not just the cell size that benefitted Aash. He notes that the durable trays are sturdier, easier to clean, handle heat better, and have longer lifespans. They also improve airflow which results in stronger root systems and faster transplanting, allowing the labor time to decrease. “I’ve dropped quite a few, and they don’t break,” he laughs.
The efficiency gains have had a ripple effect. “Quality has gone up. My consistency has gone up. It’s been great—feed more people, make more money.” He says if only 25 farms adopted this, “the scale and difference that [they’d be] making is actually notable.”
Thinking bigger
Our pilot projects demonstrated that farmers are ready to adopt more sustainable materials when they have the resources to do so. For Aash, who sets a yearly budget for his farm, Winstrip trays were out of his budget, but the pilot allowed him to “buy the trays, which then the outcome of that was way more yield.”
When asked about the biggest barriers for small- to mid-sized farms in reducing plastic waste, Aash pointed to three key challenges: money, time, and understanding. He emphasizes the importance of not only providing financial support to farmers, but also information and sharing real life farmer experiences to highlight that “It’s not just a grant to win or to get more trays,” but to really explain, “why you should use these trays, as opposed to cheap plastic trays.”
For Aash, the shift to durable tools sparked bigger thinking. “If I put a little bit of investment into this, what if I did this with the whole farm… these things would just last longer. I would have to drive to the store less. I would have stuff shipped-in less. We’re making large environmental differences when you get these messages across to a wider audience that’s buying at scale. Food safety differences, climate change differences, monetary differences, long term. There’s a host of changes that could happen at scale.” He also points out that for larger farms, reducing single-use plastic has additional benefits like cutting microplastic contamination in soil and food, improving food safety, and reducing overall waste.
Aash emphasizes that lasting change will not just require a shift from farmers but also systemic support. He notes that this kind of work should be supported by “more federal intervention, more statewide intervention, [and] more private intervention” It improves food quality, he says, “when you donate into these types of programs, it changes the food that your children are going to eat at the grocery store…It gives farmers power. And with power, they have better yields, and they have better quality products.”
Aash Farms provides seasonal vegetables, fruit, berries, herbs, microgreens and mushrooms to local restaurants, food access programs, schools, farmers markets. You can find Aash at the Delridge Farmers Market, SeaTac Farmers Markets and Pike Place pop ups.
For more information or questions about the Farm Waste Project contact Nayeli at nayeli@zerowastewashington.org
By Andrea Ramirez, Sustainability Analyst
In July, we concluded a collaborative project with New Americans Alliance for Policy and Research (NAAPR) funded by a grant from the State Department of Health in support of Washington’s HEAL Act. The project included community trainings on toxic chemicals in homes, and then a series of swap-out events in which 1600 toxic pots and pans and toxic utensils were provided to over 300 families.
NAAPR builds the prosperity, influence, and inclusion of refugees and immigrants through policy advocacy, education, research, and community-driven programs.
Community trainings about toxic exposures
A total of 11 in-language community trainings were conducted for community members from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Somalia. NAAPR staff recruited and supported their community members and arranged logistics. Zero Waste Washington staff researched and provided technical information about exposure to toxic chemicals in water, soil, air and household products, and other environmental justice issues such as housing conditions and exposure from cleanup sites in overburdened areas. The training sessions were led by NAAPR staff who presented the information in a clear, accessible and interesting way. Each session ended with lively discussions with community members providing their recommendations about how to address the problems they learned about.
Swap-out events
Community swap-out events and lead testing
To wrap up the project, and in collaboration with staff from the City of Kent, the State Department of Health and Hazardous Waste Management Program Public Health – Seattle and King County, and the Somali Community Center, the project team organized four product swap-out and testing events for the focus communities.
NAAPR staff recruited community members who had attended the community trainings and arranged and oversaw logistics for the events, including translating all of the outreach materials. Zero Waste Washington created technical information and secured the safer alternative products. Around 1600 safer products were purchased and given to approximately 300 community members, which included kitchen utensils (wood and stainless-steel) to replace plastic items, stainless steel, carbon steel and cast-iron frying pans to replace aluminum and/or PFAS-coated pans, and wood cutting boards to replace plastic ones.
Testing pans for lead.
On-site we counted on Elmer Diaz and Clara Varndell from the State Department of Health and Katie Fellows from King County, who conducted lead testing on products brought by community members. Cookware, soil samples, spices and tea were tested for lead using an XRF analyzer. The cookware included small skillets, pots, pans, flat pans, white/gray pans, round pots, small black pots, frying pans, and various other items. In addition, a visual inspection of the cookware was done to evaluate scratched or deteriorated non-stick surfaces., Scratches on non-stick cookware could indicate potential exposure to toxic chemicals including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) if PFAS is present in the coating. A total of 135 products were tested in all events, finding lead contaminated cookware items in a range of 13-1379 ppm.
City of Kent, NAAPR, Department of Health, King County, and Zero Waste Washington staff at the Kent Senior Activity Center where three of the swap-out events were held.
Contact Andrea at andrea@zerowastewashington.org with questions about the project
Photo: SeaJAM Festival/Joel Gamoran
We have our very own zero waste chef here in the Pacific NW: Joel Gamoran. And, this time of year, with our local bounty of glorious produce, who couldn’t use a few hints about how to use every bit.
Joel Gamoran grew up in Seattle, left and came back, to be the National Chef for Sur La Table and formerly the head of its cooking education programs. He starred in the A&E cooking show Scraps and for the past four years has been CEO and Head Chef of Homemade, a livestream cooking platform. Homemade creates free, interactive cooking classes and produces shows for PBS, including some that are streamed on Alaska Airlines.
Great zero waste-oriented recipes
Joel’s cookbook, Cooking Scrappy: 100 Recipes to Help You Stop Wasting Food, Save Money, and Love What You Eat (2018, HarperCollins) is full of good ideas and tasty recipes. For some recipes, Joel takes some standards and adds a zero waste element. How about rainbow chard stem shakshuka? Pea shell soba noodle salad? Squash seed granola! Check out the carrot-top pesto.
Joel’s role in helping reduce food waste in Washington
Legislative organics bills supported by Zero Waste Washington and many partners over the past 5 years are aimed at diverting food and yard waste from the landfill. These laws established new programs at the WA State Department of Ecology. Jade Monroe and other Ecology staff have since taken off with a creative and splashy Use Food Well campaign designed to help raise awareness about reducing food waste. Joel has been a centerpiece for an annual month of activities in April 2024 and 2025, that helped get people excited about personal action. The activities, in partnership with Safeway Albertsons, included cooking demonstrations across the state.
In June, Joel was the funny and engaging host at the annual ReFED Food Waste Solutions Conference, held in Seattle. ReFED is a national food waste think tank that helps track the food waste benefits of different policy solutions. Joel stole the show with his quips and insights. Who knew tackling food waste could be so much fun!
Joel with Amity Addrisi on New Day Northwest (King 5). View the video at https://www.king5.com/article/sponsor-story/delicious-recipes-use-the-scraps-you-usually-throw-away/281-b510f300-fa5f-4559-8b32-f262d91d317d
Joel with Amity Addrisi on New Day Northwest (King 5). View the video at https://www.king5.com/article/sponsor-story/delicious-recipes-use-the-scraps-you-usually-throw-away/281-b510f300-fa5f-4559-8b32-f262d91d317d
Learn more about Joel Gamoran and Homestead here: https://www.homemadecooking.com/about-us
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Zero Waste Washington
PO Box 84817 * Seattle, WA * 98124
(206) 441-1790
