The Ban is Coming, The Ban is Coming

Single-use plastic carryout bags are banned in Washington State as of January 1, 2021 (Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5323). And it’s going to cost us – the legislation requires retailers to charge a fee, until at least December 31, 2025, to anyone who doesn’t bring reusable tools who’ll therefore need temporary. There are reasonable exceptions, for example we’ll still be able to wrap meat in in-store plastic and people on public assistance will be exempt from the charges. Food banks and food assistance programs are allowed to continue using those items which make them effective. Retail establishments will be allowed to use up their existing stocks of the bad stuff for the next year.

So, despite the infernal nuisance for everyone who uses the blights for everything from cheap trash-can liners to dog-poop receptacles, rejoice. This is a good thing: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is real, terrifying and deadly.

But yup, how many of us will need weeks and weeks and weeks before we both have a system in place for where the reusable totes really belong AND remembering them???