There are a large number of cities, states, and even countries that are talking about putting a tax, or even a ban on the use of plastic grocery bags. I wonder how much of a difference this could make, if any.
Last year Washington DC enacted a bill that added a 5-cent tax on every paper and plastic bag purchased in the stores. Bringing your own bag, is of course, free. So what was the outcome of doing this? Well, it looks like it reduced the amount of plastic bag litter by about a third. The tax also helped to raise $2 million dollars. That $2 million was well below the $3.5 Million projection, but even that I think would be considered a good thing. Stores so far this year are already buying half as many bags as they normally do.
If more places enact laws such as these, not only will we see a reduction in the amount of waste, but the money raised by the taxes can be used to help fund clean up efforts as well.
A continuing community service project maintained and advanced by students in the multimedia production capstone class online at Portland State University.
5 comments:
Could you site your source for this tax information? I'm a teacher, and I'd like to use it for a discussion in class.
Sorry about the delay, I would be happy to: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9KICVE00.htm
The plastic bag levy was first introduced in Ireland on the 4th March 2002 at the rate of 15 cent per bag. Its primary purpose was to reduce the consumption of disposable plastic bags by influencing consumer behavior. All levies are transferred to a government environment fund used for future environmentally friendly initiatives.
It had an immediate effect on consumer behavior with a decrease in plastic bag usage from an estimated 328 bags per capita to 21 bags per capita overnight. The charge for the bags although not a lot, was enough for people to realise that it was easier to change their habits than to pay every time they needed a bag.
Hey very good idea of applying of applying tax on plastic bags in this way user of plastic bags and plastic bags will be reduced but here in your blog it is mention that tax was applied on paper bags also this not good because we want that use of paper bags must be increase. Paper bags should be left free from tax. Thanks for sharing your idea with us.
Plastic bags are really important part of life and it is used to carry different products. In place of plastic bags various other types of boxes can be used as well.
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