Progress in Washington

Our coalition's first success story was the passage of the statewide reusable bag bill in 2020. Plastic bags are one of the most common types of plastic pollution and it's easy to bring your own bag.

Following bans in Edmonds (2009) and Seattle (2011), municipalities across the state began banning single-use carry home plastic bags and advocating for the use of reusable bags instead. Ultimately, there were 37 separate Reusable Bag ordinances in Washington. SB 5323 was passed into law in spring of 2020, resulting in the statewide ban on thin, single-use plastic bags!

Our coalitions next big victory was the passage of SB 5022 in 2021. This law includes the nation's strongest ban on expanded polystyrene foam products, mandating the phaseout of packaging peanuts in 2023 and the phaseout of polystyrene foam food service products and recreational coolers in June 2024.
The law also required that plastic foodware items like utensils, straws, and condiment packets be given out only upon request, and established higher minimum standards for the use of post-consumer recycled content in many plastic containers.

Then, in 2023, our coalition celebrated the passage of Act to Reduce Plastic Pollution (HB 1085). The law will take action in three ways to reduce plastic pollution and unnecessary waste:

• First, where building standards already require drinking fountains, it also requires water bottle refill stations to facilitate and encourage the widespread use of reusable bottles.

• Second, the law bans new thin, plastic-wrapped foam-filled floats for docks in Washington waters, and study the impacts on the environment of foam-filled docking surrounded with hard plastic.

• Last, it phases out mini plastic packaging for toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, bath and hand soap, and lotion  for use in hotels and other lodging establishments.

In 2022-2025, our coalition has supported extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging and paper products. EPR requires consumer goods producers and brands to take responsibility for recycling their packaging and pay to improve our current residential recycling system. 

Such a program would:

• Reduce emissions and improve our environment by increasing our reuse, recycling and plastic source reduction rates.

• Make it easy to recycle by increasing access, including at apartments and in rural areas.

• Support Washington’s economy by building local supply chains and recycling businesses and creating new, green jobs.

• Reduce confusion and contamination by developing a clear common list of what can be recycled statewide.

• Save local governments and residents money by covering most of the costs of recycling programs

• Create financial incentives for companies to reduce unnecessary packaging and use greener, more recyclable materials.