The last time I went grocery shopping I
tried to observe how many shoppers brought their own reusable bags to
the checkout counter and how many used the disposable bags provided
by the store. Very few shoppers that I observed actually brought
their own reusable bags. Many walked out with four or more
single-use plastic bags of groceries. While many of the larger
supermarkets have barrels in the entry for recycling plastic bags and
other thin film plastic, the bins are rarely full. Paper bags are
somewhat better on the environment because they are made from a
renewable resource (wood) and are more easily recycled. But they are
also used only once or twice and involve an energy and chemically
intensive manufacturing process.
So what happens to all the plastic bags
that go home day after day, week after week, with us? If you're like
me, they might get a second use like lining a small trash can before
they get thrown away. On the other hand, heavy duty plastic or cloth
bags can be used over and over many times. Americans consume 100
billion plastic bags per year, about 325 per person. Most in Vermont
find their way to a landfill. One of the board members that oversaw
the now-closed Moretown landfill told me that he would see hundreds
of plastic bags blowing around during a strong wind. The only way to
prevent that from happening was to quickly cover trash with dirt,
which in turn lessened the capacity of the landfill. This is a
serious concern because the Coventry landfill is the only one left in
Vermont, and we have to make it last as long as possible.
So, the question is, what do we do
about this problem? I and several colleagues introduced House bill
H.88 seeking to reduce consumption of raw materials and the impact on
the environment of disposable bags. It does this by putting a ten
cent fee on disposable bags at the checkout counter. It is a tax,
but an avoidable one simply by bringing your own reusable bag. Two
cents of the tax is retained by the store and eight cents would be
remitted to Vermont's Solid Waste Assistance Fund, which helps
support the solid waste districts across the state. The bill also
includes exemptions for small bags used for produce, newspapers, pet
fish, etc., and a total exemption from the program for small
retailers that typically dispense less than 20,000 bags per year,
roughly 50 per day. Experiences with similar programs in states and
cities across the U.S. have shown a decrease in the use of disposable
bags of up to 40%. Retailers will save money by not having to buy as
many bags, the cost of which is spread out over their merchandise.
Some retailers already offer a small credit of 3 cents for each
reusable bag brought by a customer. This has been shown to be not as
effective as a fee because people are more likely to change their
behavior in response to a loss of something than for a potential
small gain. The bottom line is that this program will be a win for
the environment, a win for the retailer, a win for consumers who take
advantage of the program, and a win for our recycling program.
H.88 has been assigned to the Natural
Resources, Fish & Wildlife Committee for consideration. They
will be hearing testimony from consumers, retailers, environmental
organizations and other interested parties over the next few months.
As always, I invite you to let me know
your concerns and opinions. I can be reached by phone (802-233-5238)
or by email (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com).
