Washington Single-Use Plastic Carryout Bag Ban

Washington's statewide plastic bag ban under RCW 70A.530 took effect October 1, 2021. The law prohibits retailers from providing single-use plastic carryout bags to customers. Retailers may provide reusable bags meeting thickness and recycled content standards (currently 2.25 mils, increasing to 4 mils in 2026) or recycled-content paper bags. Retailers must charge a minimum eight-cent pass-through fee per bag, retained by the business and listed on receipts. Exemptions apply to bags for produce, bulk items, prescriptions, newspapers, and certain food service uses. The Department of Ecology administers the program. Local ordinances stricter than state law are preempted, but some local pre-existing bans remain operative.

Retailers face civil penalties up to $250 for first violations and up to $500 for subsequent violations under RCW 70A.530.040. Department of Ecology issues warnings before fines.