A ban on single-use plastic grocery bags set to take effect in 2021 has been delayed until at least the end of January. While issuing a proclamation on the delay, Gov. Jay Inslee noted supply issues for retailers caused by the ongoing pandemic, as well as some retailers asking customers not to bring bags from home due to concerns over worker safety during the pandemic.
When the state legislature meets beginning Jan. 11, they could decide to further delay implementation of the ban, depending on whether supply chain issues have been ironed out. Either way, at some point a statewide ban on single-use plastic grocery bags will go into effect at some point in 2021.
Approved by the legislature in March, 2020, the bill restricts retailers, restaurants, takeout, as well as farmers markets and food trucks to only paper bags with at least 40 percent recycled content, or thicker reusable plastic bags with at least 20 percent post-consumer recycled material. If customers don’t bring their own reusable bags, they’ll have to pay a fee of 8 cents per bag for anything provided by the store. The only exceptions being thin-film plastic produce bags, or bags used by flower shops or dry cleaners.
While most of the fee will be retained by retailers to offset the cost of the more expensive paper and reusable plastic bags, the sale will be taxable. The state Department of Revenue anticipates the ban will bring in $3.8 million during the first year, rising to $7.4 million in 2021-23.