Washington’s attempt to pass a state-wide reusable bag bill will soon be up for a floor vote. (And by “soon,” I mean there are just three days left before the cutoff.) It’s going to take every voice to get SB 5323 over the line and make plastic bags a thing of the past here in the Evergreen State.
 
The timber and pulp and paper industries are fighting this bill hard. Fear and greed are powerful motivations for entrenched industries. Much craves more, same as it always has. It is absolutely critical that your House representatives hear from you right away. It’s so close, but close isn’t going to cut it.

Your Rep needs to know that you support SB 5323 and the banning of single-use plastic bags. While you’re at it, let them know that you also support the 8 cent minimum pass-through charge for paper bags and thicker reusable plastic bags. This charge is critical to incentivize people to bring their own bags and it also helps smaller stores and independent grocers cover the cost of providing paper bags for those customers that need them.

Single-use plastics are a major source of pollution and have a negative impact on the ocean and everything that lives in it. Washington residents use 2 billion single-use plastic bags every year, and fewer than 6% of them get recycled. Plastic has been documented in nearly 700 species of marine life. These filmy, flimsy bags wreak havoc in the waste system as well, causing operational and contamination problems at commercial composters and clogging machinery at recycling facilities.
 
We have a rare opportunity to address this issue now! Please take a minute to contact your House representatives by phone or email and urge them to support the Reusable Bag Bill SB 5323.