In response to a citizen petition, the Issaquah City Council decided to put before voters the City’s ban on single-use, plastic carryout bags at retail stores.
The ordinance — which promotes reusable carryout bags as the best alternative to single-use plastic and paper bags — is still in effect. The bag ban measure will appear on the Feb. 11, 2014, special election ballot.
In the meantime, City staff will craft legislation for the council to consider at its next meeting to address the phased implementation of retail carryout bags. The next phase of the bag ban was scheduled to take effect for smaller retailers March 1, 2014.
Councilmembers adopted the ordinance in 2012, in response to citizen input and concerns about the regional and global impacts of plastic bags on the environment and the King County landfill.
In addition to the ban on single-use, plastic carryout bags at retail stores, the ordinance sets a 5-cent charge for larger single-use, paper carryout bags provided to customers.
The ordinance is modeled after similar requirements adopted in Seattle, Bellingham, Bainbridge Island, Edmonds and Mukilteo.
To learn more about our plastic bag ban ordinance, visit issaquahwa.gov/bags.