Washington state delays plastic bag ban implementation

Last year, Washington state legislators passed legislation designed to reduce pollution from plastic bags by establishing minimum state standards for their use at retail establishments. The state was set to put a ban on plastic bags in place at the start of this year. However, according to an announcement from the Washington Office of the Governor, the ban's implementation is postponed from Dec. 31, 2020, to Jan. 30 because of the pandemic.

“Positive COVID-19-related cases and hospitalizations have been on a steady rise since early September, and since the latter part of October through December 2020, COVID-19 cases have significantly increased in Washington, and COVID-19-related hospitalizations have risen sharply, putting our people, our health system and our economy in as dangerous a position as we faced in March 2020,” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee writes in the announcement.

He continues, “New statute RCW 70A.530.020, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2021, places limitations on retail establishments’ provision of paper and plastic bags to customers at a time when manufacturers of reusable plastic bags that comply with RCW 70A.530.020 have repurposed their factories to make personal protective equipment for use in response to the pandemic, making it difficult for retail establishments, many of which are essential businesses, such as restaurants and grocers, to purchase reusable plastic bags.”  

The state is banning all single-use plastic carryout bags as of Jan. 30. It also will place an 8-cent fee on large paper carryout bags, which must be made with 40-percent-recycled content. The state also is placing an 8-cent fee on reusable plastic carryout bags, which must be made with 20-percent-recycled content and be 2.25-millimeters thick. The state will allow green or brown compostable bags.

According to the state’s Department of Ecology website, the ban does not apply to food banks and food assistance programs; however, the state is encouraging those programs to take actions to reduce the use of single-use plastic carryout bags.