Bellingham plastic bag ban to be replaced by new state law

Bellingham plastic bag ban to be replaced by new state law

Washington state’s plastic bag ban goes into impact on Friday, October 1, 2021, changing Bellingham’s nine-year-old bag ban.

Underneath the brand new state legislation (Senate Invoice 5323), the Washington State Division of Ecology will ban skinny plastic baggage from all retailers, boutiques and eating places. Firms can supply the shopper paper or thicker plastic baggage for a charge.

On the spot, Bellingham customers will see modifications to the plastic bag ban below the state’s new legislation. These modifications embody:

  • The suitable baggage charge is $ 0.08, a rise from Bellingham’s $ 0.05 charge. The charge is topic to state gross sales tax;
  • Acceptable baggage embody:
    • Massive paper baggage with no less than 40% recycled content material
    • Thick, reusable plastic tote baggage with no less than 20% recycled content material and no less than 2.25 mil thick movie
    • Inexperienced or brown compostable baggage – the charge for these baggage is elective
  • All retail and grocery shops, eating places, takeaways, festivals, and markets are ruled by state legislation;
  • The Division of Ecology is chargeable for imposing state legal guidelines.

That is the primary of a number of native and state single-use plastic discount legal guidelines, together with the Metropolis of Bellingham Council Ordinance 2021-05-023, authorised by Metropolis Council on 24 Providers and Lodging. This ordinance will go into impact July 31, 2022, and town plans to supply coaching and technical assist to companies from early 2022. To study extra, go to the single-use plastics web site at www.cob.org/plastics.