“Dime Bag” Takes on a Whole New Meaning

Author: Lee Ann Rush

The environmental issues caused by those ubiquitous plastic bags dispensed by grocers, drug stores and just about all other retailers are no secret. Besides being a non-stop source of litter, both on the ground and in our waterways, plastic bags are also responsible for killing and injuring countless species of wildlife. Furthermore, oil is a primary component in manufacturing these bags. It is estimated that nearly 400 billion plastic bags are dispensed each year in the United States, yet they are rarely reused and barely recyclable. Depending upon the type of plastic used to make them, scientists estimate that these bags can take from 500 to 1000 years to biodegrade.

It’s small wonder that jurisdictions across the country have passed, or are seeking to enact, legislation to curtail this costly and dangerous proliferation of plastic bags. If New York City Council members Margaret Chin and Brad Lander have their way, shoppers at grocery stores and retailers in NYC will soon join cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C., which have laws either taxing the bags, imposing a surcharge for them, or banning them completely. Chin and Lander have recently reintroduced legislation that would charge customers ten cents for every non-reusable plastic and paper bag dispensed at grocery stores and other retail establishments in the city. Restaurants and food vendors would not be affected. Shoppers who bring their own bags would be exempt, as would food stamp recipients. There would be no charge for the plastic bags used to hold produce and meat. Interestingly, the stores would keep all money from bag surcharges under the proposed legislation. According to Chin, plastic bag usage has decreased by 90% in the cities that have adopted plastic bag laws. New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio has gone on record as supporting this legislation. The American Progressive Bag Alliance, an organization of plastic bag manufacturers, is lobbying to block it.

Personally, I strongly object to the stores being permitted to keep these bag fees, and would much prefer a system where shoppers receive a small credit for reusing their plastic bags at grocery stores. I shop at one local chain where this is done, although I’ll admit that even though I’m an avid recycler and very budget-conscious, I don’t always remember to bring the bags with me every single time I shop there, and fully appreciate that most people probably wouldn’t bother at all to save just two or three cents per bag. They might, however, take notice if they’re forced to pay a dollar or two extra each time they shop, and at the very least be motivated to reuse their plastic bags rather than throwing them away.