wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 6030 > Original Bill

SB 6030 - Plastic carryout bags

Source

Section 1

  1. The legislature finds that chapter 70A.530 RCW was passed with the intent to reduce plastic waste and litter. A study completed by Washington State University pursuant to RCW 70A.530.060 examined the effects of chapter 70A.530 RCW passed in 2020. The Washington State University researchers came to the following conclusions:

    1. While the number of plastic carryout bags used in Washington decreased by 50 percent, the overall use of plastic by weight increased by 17 percent;

    2. The pass-through fee collected by retailers for providing carryout bags to customers is not sufficient to cover the costs of thicker plastic bags; and

    3. Consumers are not reusing reusable carryout bags at a rate high enough to justify the increased costs of thicker plastic bags, both financial and environmental.

  2. It is the intent of the legislature to implement the recommendations given by the Washington State University research team by:

    1. Removing the requirement for retailers to provide "reusable carryout bags," meaning retailers will be allowed to offer plastic carryout bags less than 2.25 mils to customers; and

    2. Maintaining the requirement for carryout bags, including plastic bags to contain at least 40 percent postconsumer recycled content that is currently imposed on retailers.

Section 2

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

Section 3

  1. A retail establishment may not provide to a customer or a person at an event

a paper carryout bag that does not meet the requirements of subsection (5)(a) of this section or a carryout bag made of film plastic that does not meet recycled content requirements

.

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    1. A retail establishment may provide a carryout bag of any size to a customer at the point of sale. If the carryout bag is made of paper, it must meet the requirements for compliant paper carryout bags provided in subsection (5) of this section.

    b.A retail establishment must collect a pass-through charge of eight cents for every carryout bag, except as provided in RCW 70A.530.030.

    1. A retail establishment must keep all revenue from pass-through charges. The pass-through charge is a taxable retail sale. A retail establishment must show all pass-through charges and penalties on a receipt provided to the customer.

  2. Carryout bags provided by a retail establishment do not include:

    1. Bags used by consumers inside stores to:

      1. Package bulk items, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, candy, greeting cards, or small hardware items such as nails, bolts, or screws;

      2. Contain or wrap items where dampness or sanitation might be a problem including, but not limited to:

(A) Frozen foods;

(B) Meat;

(C) Fish;

(D) Flowers; and

(E) Potted plants;

    iii. Contain unwrapped prepared foods or bakery goods;

    iv. Contain prescription drugs; or

v. Protect a purchased item from damaging or contaminating other purchased items when placed in a  carryout bag; or

b. Newspaper bags, mailing pouches, sealed envelopes, door hanger bags, laundry/dry cleaning bags, or bags sold in packages containing multiple bags for uses such as food storage, garbage, or pet waste.

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    1. Any compostable film bag that a retail establishment provides to customers for products, including for products bagged in stores prior to checkout, must meet the requirements for compostable products and film bags in chapter 70A.455 RCW.

    2. A retail establishment may not use or provide polyethylene or other noncompostable plastic bags for bagging of customer products in stores, as carryout bags, or for home delivery that do not meet the requirements for noncompostable products and film bags in chapter 70A.455 RCW.

5.

For the purposes of this section:

a. A compliant paper carryout bag must:

    i. Contain a minimum of 40 percent postconsumer recycled materials, a minimum of 40 percent nonwood renewable fiber, or a combination of postconsumer recycled materials and nonwood renewable fiber that totals at least 40 percent;

    ii. Be capable of composting, consistent with the timeline and specifications of the entire American society of testing materials D6868 and associated test methods that must be met, as it existed as of January 1, 2020; and

    iii. Display in print on the exterior of the paper bag the minimum percentage of postconsumer content, wheat straw fiber content, or both.

b. A  carryout bag

made of film plastic must:

    i. Be made from a minimum of 20 percent postconsumer recycled content until July 1, 2022, and thereafter must be made from a minimum of 40 percent postconsumer recycled content; and

    ii. Display in print on the exterior of the plastic bag the minimum percentage of postconsumer recycled content

.

c. Except for the purposes of subsection (4) of this section, food banks and other food assistance programs are not retail establishments, but are encouraged to take actions to reduce the use of single-use plastic carryout bags.
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