What changed
On October 1, 2026, CAA published its 2027 Washington Early Fees Schedule. Washington's packaging EPR (extended producer responsibility) law requires producers to pay early fees to fund program development, start-up and regulatory costs. The schedule sets one rate per pound for each of eight simplified material categories.1
| Simplified material category | 2027 early fee per pound |
|---|---|
| Flexible plastic | 2.5¢ |
| Rigid plastic | 1.1¢ |
| Paper/fiber | 0.5¢ |
| Printing and writing paper | 1.6¢ |
| Metal | 0.9¢ |
| Glass and ceramics | 0.2¢ |
| Wood and other organic materials | 3.0¢ |
| Compostable materials | 1.7¢ |
The schedule gives the rates only. It doesn't say when CAA will invoice them.1
What it means for a mid-size brand
These are early fees, not full program fees. Washington's eight categories are also much broader than the roughly 60 that Oregon and Colorado use.1,2,3
Flexible plastic carries the second-highest rate, after wood and other organic materials. As an illustration, a brand selling 100,000 pounds of flexible plastic packaging into Washington would pay $2,500 at the 2027 early fee rate.
We've updated the Washington guide to reflect this.
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Sources
- Circular Action Alliance, 2027 Washington Early Fees Schedule (originally published Oct. 1, 2026). circularactionalliance.org
- Circular Action Alliance, Oregon 2026 fee schedule (published Oct. 29, 2025). circularactionalliance.org
- Circular Action Alliance, Colorado 2026 dues schedule (Oct. 13, 2025). circularactionalliance.org
General information, not legal advice. This note summarizes a public document as we read it on the date above. Check the source before you act on it.