(File, Associated Press)
With 2021 approaching, a handful of new laws are already in force or will come into effect soon in the coming months.
Minimum wage will rise
Beginning January 1, Washington’s minimum wage increased 19 cents and now stands at $ 13.69. That increase also saw Seattle’s minimum wage rise to $ 16.69 an hour, while SeaTac raised it to $ 16.57.
Meanwhile, companies such as Uber are warning that rides can be 25% more expensive to account for a separate new wage bill passed by Seattle City Council in 2020. and pay for $ 0.56 per minute and $ 1.33 per mile driven while carrying passengers.
The Uber company believes the law could increase rates by up to 50% by April to account for the rise in wages.
Shopping bag law delayed
Coronavirus is delaying a new state grocery bag law that would go into effect Friday.
Supply problems caused by the pandemic have made it difficult for retailers to obtain the required thicker plastic bags that must also be made from at least 20% recycled material. Under the new restrictions, paper bags must be at least 40% recycled.
That bag law has now been postponed until at least June.
The new law means that if you don’t bring your own shopping bag to a store, you will have to pay 8 cents for each bag you use. Retailers using compostable plastic bags do not have to charge for this.
Protections for the orcas of Puget Sound
As concerns about the declining population of the southern killer whales grow, a new restriction will take effect in May, limiting whale watching businesses to specific windows to view killer whales.
That means commercial whale-watching boats can only spot killer whales within a few two-hour windows a day, with just three ships within half a mile of a pod.
This comes as a result of a bill passed by the state legislature in the spring of 2019.
Tacoma to end glass recycling pick-ups from homes
As of Monday, January 4, Tacoma will stop collecting glass from homes and duplexes.
Preston Peck helps manage Tacoma’s recycling program and says that glass recycling is currently more expensive than sending it to landfill.
“We’ve estimated that this will save about half a million dollars a year,” he told KIRO Radio.
According to data collected by the city, only a quarter of Tacoma recycling customers have prepared glass for collection. That has led to what Peck considers an “inefficient” and sometimes dangerous program, which has regularly resulted in employee injuries.