Starting Jan. 1, 2026, it will be more expensive to buy a plastic film carryout bag at Washington restaurants and retailers. The Washington State Department of Ecology reminds consumers that a scheduled four-cent increase in the price for plastic film carryout bags at Washington restaurants and retailers means their minimum cost will be 12 cents per bag.

The increase from the current eight cents per bag is part of a 2020 law meant to encourage shoppers to bring their own carryout bags, Ecology said in a news release. The minimum charge for a paper carryout bag will remain at eight cents.

Washington’s single-use plastic bag ban was implemented in 2021 and prohibits thin, .5 mil disposable plastic bags. The law sets standards for thicker, 2.25 mil reusable plastic film bags and requires pl

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