Washington considers plastic bag ban

Lawmakers in the state of Washington introduced a bill that would ban single-use plastic bags across the state. House Bill 1205 would prohibit retail establishments from giving customers single-use plastic carryout bags or paper bags that do not meet recycling requirements.

HB 1205 was introduced to state on Jan. 16, 2019. Several lawmakers have sponsored the bill, including Rep. Strom Peterson. 

According to a news release from The Seattle Times, Peterson had championed the state’s first plastic bag ban in 2009 in Edmonds City, Washington.

However, The Seattle Times reports that legislators had pushed for similar legislation that would have placed a small tax on consumers for plastic bags, but that legislation had no success. This bill includes a 10-cent charge for every recycled-content paper bag provided to customers in an effort to move away from plastic bags, or stores could provide a reusable 4-millimeter plastic bag for the same fee. 

The bill is scheduled for a hearing before Washington’s House Environment and Energy Committee Jan. 22. Click here to view a draft of the original bill.