Statewide bans on plastic bags, straws are on Dems' green to-do list in Olympia

OLYMPIA – As an Edmonds City Council member in 2009, Strom Peterson championed the city’s initiative to become the first municipality in Washington to ban plastic grocery bags. Ten years later, he’s the lead sponsor of a bill in the state Legislature to ban single-use plastic bags across the state.

HB 1205, which is supported by the Washington Hospitality Association, would prohibit retail establishments from giving customers single-use plastic carryout bags, or paper bags that do not meet recycling requirements.

With hefty majorities in both chambers of the Legislature, Democrats say the time is ripe for a shift away from the material that has polluted waters and clogged recycling centers.

“Washington is going to be on the leading edge of reducing single-use plastics,” said now Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds.

Read more: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/dems-green-agenda-in-legislature-includes-attempts-to-ban-single-use-plastic-bags-straws/