A ban on single-use plastic bags intended to encourage customers to use their own reusable bags when shopping will go into effect Friday across Washington state. The ban passed the state Senate back in March 2019 and it was originally scheduled to begin on the first of this year but was delayed due supply chain issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 13, Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee rescinded the proclamation and set the single-use plastic bag ban effective date for Oct. 1, 2021. The measure prohibits single-use plastic bags in all retail and grocery stores, restaurants, takeout establishments, festivals, and markets, excluding food banks and food assistance programs, although the latter is still encouraged to reduce the use of single-use plastic carryout bags where possible. Instead, stores can order different types of bags, such as recycled content paper or wheat straw paper reusable plastic bags, which will incur an 8-cent charge on the customer for each bag. Such bags must meet the …