SB 6030 — Plastic carryout bags

Summary

Repealing restrictions and fees on plastic carryout bags.

Bill Text

Compared against the Revised Code of Washington as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 3 section(s) of the Revised Code of Washington: RCW 70A.530.060; RCW 70A.530.010; RCW 70A.530.020.

• RCW 70A.530.060

  (2) It is the intent of the legislature to implement the recommendations given by the Washington State University research team by: (a) 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 (b) Maintaining the requirement for carryout bags, including plastic bags to contain at least 40 percent postconsumer recycled content that is currently imposed on retailers.

  amended

• RCW 70A.530.010

  (6) reusable "Reusable carryout bag" means a carryout bag made of cloth or other durable material with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured for long-term multiple reuse and meets the requirements of RCW 70A.530.020(6)(b). (8) → amended to read as follows: The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Carryout bag" means any bag that is provided by a retail establishment at home delivery, the check stand, cash register, point of sale, or other point of departure to a customer for use to transport or carry away purchases. (2) "Compliant paper carryout bag" means a paper carryout bag provided by a retail establishment to a customer that meets the requirements in RCW 70A.530.020 (5)(a). (3) "Department" means the department of ecology. (4) "Nonwood renewable fiber" means plant-based fiber derived from wheat straw grown in North America. (5) "Pass-through charge" means a charge to be collected and retained by retail establishments from their customers when providing compliant paper carryout bags and carryout bags made of film plastic. (6) "Retail establishment" means any person, corporation, partnership, business, facility, vendor, organization, or individual that sells or provides food, merchandise, goods, or materials directly to a customer including home delivery, temporary stores, or vendors at farmers markets, street fairs, and festivals.

  amended

• RCW 70A.530.020

  Beginning January 1, 2021, except as provided in this section and RCW 70A.530.030, a : (a) A single-use plastic carryout bag; (b) A (6) reusable ; or (c) Beginning January 1, 2028, a reusable carryout bag made of film plastic with a thickness of less than four mils, in the event that the 2026 legislature does not amend this section to reflect the recommendations to the legislature made consistent with RCW 70A.530.060 reusable or a compliant paper carryout bag A retail establishment may make reusable carryout bags available to customers through sale (i) Until December 31, 2025, a compliant paper carryout bag with a manufacturer's stated capacity of one- eighth barrel (eight hundred eighty-two cubic inches) or greater or reusable carryout bag made of film plastic it provides subsection (5) of this section and (ii) Beginning January 1, 2026, a retail establishment must collect a pass-through charge of twelve cents for reusable carryout bags made of film plastic and eight cents for compliant paper carryout bags. (iii) Until December 31, 2027, a retail establishment that offers for sale a reusable carryout bag made of film plastic with a thickness equal to or greater than four mils shall collect, in addition to the 12 cent pass-through charge, a four cent penalty. The penalty shall be deposited in the waste reduction, recycling, and litter control account under RCW 70A.200.140. , not including the penalty provided under (b)(iii) p. 3 SB 6030 of this subsection compliant paper carryout bag or reusable Except as provided by local regulations enacted as of April 1, 2020, a retail establishment may provide a bag restricted under subsection (1) of this section from existing inventory until one year after June 11, 2020. The retail establishment, upon request by the department, must provide purchase invoices, distribution receipts, or p. 4 SB 6030 other information documenting that the bag was acquired prior to June 11, 2020. (6) forty reusable must: (i) Have a minimum lifetime of one hundred twenty-five uses, which for purposes of this subsection means the capacity to carry a minimum of twenty-two pounds one hundred twenty-five times over a distance of at least one hundred seventy-five feet; (ii) Be machine washable or made from a durable material that may be cleaned or disinfected; and (iii) If (A) twenty forty (B) , the mil thickness, and that the bag is reusable; and (C) Have a minimum thickness of no less than 2.25 mils until December 31, 2027, and beginning January 1, 2028, must have a minimum thickness of four mils → read as follows: (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 . (2)(a) 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. establishment must keep all revenue from pass- sale. A retail establishment must show all pass-through charges and penalties on a receipt provided to the customer. (3) Carryout bags provided by a retail establishment do not include: (a) Bags used by consumers inside stores to: (i) Package bulk items, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, candy, greeting cards, or small hardware items such as nails, bolts, or screws; (ii) 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. (4)(a) 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. (b) 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. ⟦INS⟧--- END ---

  amended

Action History

1. January 12, 2026

   First reading, referred to Environment, Energy & Technology.

Sponsors

• (Braun) · Primary

Subjects