WA shoppers to pay 50% more for plastic bags at retailers starting 2026

Beginning on January 1, 2026, an additional four-cent charge will be added to each plastic bag sold by retailers and restaurants, the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) announced.

The new law, passed in July, will increase the current eight-cent charge per thick reusable plastic carryout bag to 12 cents, and charges for paper bags will remain at eight cents.

“Paper and plastic carryout bags impact the environment at every stage of their production, transportation, and disposal,” Peter Lyon, manager of Ecology’s Solid Waste Management Program, told KOMO News. “Bringing your own bag is the easiest way to avoid the charge, reduce emissions, preserve resources, and prevent bags from becoming litter.”

WA plastic bag surcharge rises in 2026

The minimum thickness of 2.25 mil will continue to be required until January 1, 2028, after the legislature delayed the increase to 4 mil from 2026 to 2028.

Retailers and restaurants that choose to distribute plastic film bags four mil thick or greater will be charged an additional four-cent penalty, on top of the updated 12 cents, bringing the total to 16 cents per bag. The penalty will be in effect from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027.

The law also requires that all plastic and paper carryout bags provided by restaurants and retailers contain at least 40% recycled material.

In 2020, the Washington Legislature passed a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags in an attempt to reduce plastic pollution, litter, and waste.

The DOE stated that the ban will benefit the state’s recycling system in various areas, including:

• Reducing contamination in the recycling and compost systems
• Promoting reuse and recycled content
• Building consistency in policy and enforcement across the state
• Supporting the recycled paper industry

WSU study finds single-use bag ban uses more plastic by weight

A recent study from Washington State University (WSU) concluded that Washington saw a decrease in the quantity of bags distributed and an increase in total plastic used by weight after the single-use bag ban was implemented.

The study used sales data from a carryout bag distributor to determine that the number of plastic bags distributed in Washington fell by 50% between 2021 and 2022.

However, during the same time, total plastic use by weight increased by 17%. The increase in plastic by weight is a result of the use of reusable 2.25 mil minimum-thickness plastic bags, which are roughly four times heavier in weight than single-use 0.5 mil-thickness plastic bags.

Ultimately, the WSU report recommends removing the thickness requirement for carryout bags and allowing retailers to offer single-use 0.5 mil plastic bags for a pass-through fee.

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