Voters upheld our community’s commitment to protecting the environment by keeping Issaquah’s plastic bag ban in place.
Our ordinance — which promotes reusable carryout bags as the best alternative to single-use plastic and paper bags — was adopted in 2012 after leaders received citizen input and concerns about the regional and global impacts of plastic bags on the environment.
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 measure was decided in the Feb. 11, 2014, election. The results were certified Feb. 25, 2014.
The next phase of the bag ban will take effect for smaller retailers July 1, 2014. (The ban took effect for larger retailers last year.)
In addition to the ban on single-use, plastic carryout bags at retail stores, it 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.