Legislature bans single-use plastic bags

Consumers will need to remember to bring their own reusable shopping bags if they want to avoid the fee that a new law will put on plastic bags. 

   Senate Bill 5323 bans retailers and grocers from handing out single-use plastic bags for free. Shoppers will instead be offered a reusable carry-out bag at check out for an eight-cent fee.

   “We have been working to deal with the plastic blob in the Pacific Ocean for a decade now,” said Rep. Gael Tarleton, D-Seattle, chair of the House Finance Committee. “There is no perfect tax policy to figure out how to induce change behavior to stop using plastic bags. … I really hope that we can convene a solution to how we combine tax policy with the environmental policies to achieve the objective of banning plastic bags.” 

   After passing in the House last week, the bill was heard a final time in the Senate 33-15 on Monday, March 9, and now heads to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.