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AP Photo/Hatem Moussa, File
Mayor Adrian Fenty has recently signed legislation that will require Retail Food Establishment license holders in the District of Columbia to charge consumers for plastic and paper carryout bags. The Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Act of 2009, which establishes a five cent tax, nicknamed “the bag tax”, will go into effect January 2010.
The goal of this tax is to decrease the amount of bags in circulation – recycling exhausts money and energy – and support the Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Fund. This initiative encompasses several primary goals: promoting conservation; and establishing trash collection/clean up mechanisms for the Anacostia River; environmental education and outreach for District residents; and providing reusable bags free-of-charge to residents, among others.
This is legislation aims to ameliorate the Anacostia River’s massive pollution problem. Twenty thousand tons of trash enter the Anacostia River, which is the urban tributary to the Potomac River leading to the Potomac Watershed. With 85% of waste being plastic bags, styrofoam, wrappers and cans, the river’s tributaries are consequently heavily polluted – half of that waste being plastic bags. This pollution impairs the overall quality of the river, deposits waste during overflow periods, and increases efforts by the DC Water and Sewer Authority, which is then passed on to all District residents in their monthly water bill.
The tax applies to all disposable (yet recyclable) plastic and paper bags disseminated by grocery, convenience, drug stores and Class A and B liquor stores, as well as restaurants. Consumers may bring their own bags, thus avoiding the tax by refusing to purchase a bag at these establishments. Learn more at Trash Free Anacostia.
Currently, some independent merchants voluntarily offer an incentive for shoppers who bring their own bags. For example, Yes! Organic Market will refund the customer $0.05 as part of their “Go Green!” incentive.
Other reading of interest: The District Department of the Environment Anacostia River Trash Reduction Plan.
Comments
How about charge the manufacturers for the clean-up. It is a good idea to charge extra for those that use them while encouraging the use of reusable burlap type tote bags. But, lets just "bag" the idea of using paper/plastic in the first place makes more sense than continuing to use them and then complaining about the clean-up afterwords. Lets also start limiting the packaging on most of the products we buy, some just have rediculous amounts of useless crap attached and around them....why?
Good article though. ;)
But lose the "green" crap, Im sure alot of people are sick of hearing something that reaks of the global warming cult. (I agree we need to curb pollution and garbage, but lets do it by example not mandate, this encourages respect, not animosity, and global warming by the cults standards is already debunked).
RSBL has a point! Let's fine all the manufacturers for how people misuse their products. Ford should pay for all the accidents that Ford cars are involved in. McDonalds should pay health care for people who get fat off of fast food and have heart attacks. And of course, when people toss their garbage in the street or river, it is obviously the product manufacturer's fault.
Come on RSBL, get a brain. Plastic bags don't litter themselves. Sure, fine the manufacturer if they are directly dumping pollution and waste, but once their product is in the hands of the users, the users bear the responsibility of disposing of the garbage properly.
How about we encourage a little personal responsibility, instead of just blaming someone else for your mess.
I agree with the bag tax. If people want to purchase an unecessary item, then yes tax that bag. I studied in Ireland and we had to pay extra for plastic bags. Its amazing how much you can carry in your arms or how easy it is to put a reusable bag in one's pocket/purse...
You won't be so "surprised" by how much you can carry in your arms when you drop your $10 lunch all over the sidewalk.
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