The concept of "solid waste management" includes in addition to proper storage, collection, and disposal of discards, other management functions or operational activities including waste reduction, source separation, waste recycling, transportation, processing, treatment, resource recovery, energy recovery, incineration, and landfilling. Under the State Solid Waste Management Act, chapter 70.95 RCW, primary responsibility for managing solid waste is assigned to local government (RCW 70.95.020). The state, however, is responsible for assuring that effective local programs are established throughout Washington state. Therefore, state and local solid waste planning for the aforementioned activities is an essential part of proper solid waste management.

(1) State responsibility. As described in RCW 70.95.260, the department shall coordinate the development of a state solid waste management plan in cooperation with local government, the department of community development, and other appropriate state and regional agencies. The state plan shall be reviewed at two-year intervals, revised as necessary, and extended so that the plan shall look to the future for twenty years as a guide in carrying out a coordinated state solid waste management program.

(2) Local government responsibility. The overall purpose of local comprehensive solid waste planning is to determine the nature and extent of the various solid waste categories and to establish management concepts for their handling, utilization, and disposal consistent with the priorities established in RCW 70.95.010 for waste reduction, waste recycling, energy recovery and incineration, and landfill. Each local plan shall be prepared in accordance with RCW 70.95.080, 70.95.090, 70.95.100, and 70.95.110. Additionally, the department has available "Guidelines for the development of local or regional solid waste management plans and plan revisions" to be followed by local government. RCW 70.95.165 also requires counties to establish a local solid waste advisory committee to assist in the development of programs and policies concerning solid waste handling and disposal and to review and comment upon proposed rules, policies, or ordinances prior to their adoption.