Content provided by Department of Ecology

The statewide ban on single-use plastic bags established in RCW 70a.530 was initially scheduled for implementation in January 2021. Due to supply chain issues of compliant bags associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Inslee issued Emergency Proclamation 20-82 to delay implementing the bag ban until the end of the COVID-19 State of Emergency. On July 13, the Governor’s office rescinded the proclamation, amending the language to delay the bag ban until 11:59 p.m. on September 30, 2021. Therefore, the statewide single-use plastic bag ban will go into effect on October 1, 2021.

To date, the statewide bag ban has yet to be put into effect. We do encourage retailers to begin transitioning to the law’s new requirements as they can, even though they are not required to do so until the newly established effective date of October 1, 2021.

The Department of Ecology and its partners have established an outreach toolkit translated into 17 different languages. This toolkit can be locally branded, printed, and used to educate customers and affected businesses about the details of the new law.

If you have any questions regarding the law, please contact Shannon Jones, Materials Management Coordinator, Department of Ecology: 360-742-9874 or: [email protected]

Sign up for the Statewide Plastic Bag Ban implementation e-mail list.