Plastic straws are not banned outright in Washington but, under RCW 70A.245, food service businesses can only provide them when a customer specifically asks. Seattle has a stricter rule prohibiting plastic straws entirely except where required for accessibility.
The state on-request rule covers plastic straws alongside utensils, cup lids, condiment packets, and stirrers as of January 1, 2022. Within Seattle, a stricter foodware ordinance under SMC 21.36 prohibits plastic straws altogether, requiring compostable or paper alternatives, with a federal disability accommodation exception. King County cities outside Seattle generally follow the state baseline. Operators must train staff to ask before adding straws and ensure self-serve dispensers are not used for plastic straws under most local rules.
Failing to comply triggers state Department of Ecology penalties up to 250 dollars per day and, in Seattle, Public Utilities citations and possible escalation by Seattle Public Health partners.
See how Kent's plastic straw rules rules stack up against other locations.
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