Plastic bag ban goes into effect Friday, October 1

Washingtonians will begin to see fewer plastic bags littering the state’s roadsides, parks, and streams beginning October 1, 2021 when the statewide plastic bag ban goes into effect. The bag ban prohibits the distribution of single-use plastic carry-out bags by restaurants, retail, small vendor, and grocery stores.

The ban was originally scheduled to begin January 1, 2021, but the limited availability of compliant bags prompted Gov. Jay Inslee to delay it through a proclamation. The proclamation was recently rescinded.

“Single-use plastic bags are not easily recyclable, which makes managing them at the end of their lives almost impossible,” said Laurie Davies, manager of Ecology’s Solid Waste Management Program. 

“Reducing their use will protect our rivers and streams, and help our recycling system run more efficiently.”

Plastic bags are a common form of pollution that threatens human health, wildlife, and the environment. Harmful chemicals are released when plastics are produced, used, incinerated, or slowly disintegrate into microscopic particles. 

Plastic bags are also a major contaminant in Washington’s recycling system that clog sorting machines and put worker safety at risk.

Lake Forest Park has named two exceptions to the state policy. 

One important exception the Council included in the ordinance, after hearing from community members, is to allow the use of disposable flexible plastic straws for members of our community who need these for medical or physical conditions and find flexible paper straws unsuitable.

Council has also given the Mayor and administration some flexibility in enforcing the regulations if our stores and food-service businesses experience continued disruption of supplies.