Taxing Plastic and Paper Bags, Senate Bill Could Make Grocery Shopping Green
Environmentalists applaud proposed measure, industry argues it won't do much to reduce litter.
If legislators have their way, when New Jerseyans go shopping in the future, they may pay a small tax if they want their groceries packed in a paper or plastic bag.
In a move to curb plastic bags from littering the landscape and waterways, the Senate Environment and Energy Committee approved a bill (S-812) on Thursday, Dec. 20 that would impose a five-cent surcharge on consumers who fail to bring a reusable bag to their grocery or convenience store.
The move was opposed by manufacturers of plastic bags, who claimed stores already are voluntarily recycling plastic bags, which they and a member of the Senate panel argued constitute a minute portion of the litter that winds up in streets and waterways.
Environmentalists have long advocated such legislation, saying that plastic bags washing up in rivers and the ocean pose a big threat to marine life, such as sea turtles and birds, according to Zach McCue, citizen coordinator for Clean Ocean Action, a group dedicated to protecting coastal waters.
During the organization’s beach cleanup program, Clean Ocean Action picked up more than 8,000 plastic bags in just two days, McCue noted. “It will dramatically reduce the consumption of plastic bags,’’ he told the committee of its proposed bill.
Others questioned whether the bill addresses only a small portion of the litter problem.
“To me, a ban on plastic bags is just nipping at the edge,’’ said Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth), the only member of the committee not to vote to move the measure forward. Instead, she abstained from the vote, adding, “I kind of think we are misguided here.’’
Beck noted the amount of plastic bags swept up in the annual beach cleanups by Clean Ocean Action ranked ninth among trash picked up by the organization
Keith Anderson, director of Washington D.C.’s District of the Department of the Environment, offered another view. Since the district imposed its own surcharge on plastic bags, there has been a 60 percent reduction in the number of bags winding up in its waterways, he said.
Anderson said the 5-cents surcharge on customers who still prefer plastic or paper rather than reusable bags has not proved burdensome to the public, but is still high enough to encourage consumers to use recyclable bags. He added that businesses said it has improved their bottom line by requiring them to buy fewer paper and plastic bags.
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Carol
8:34 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
Plastic bags ? When was the last time the Environment and Energy committee went scuba diving ? In 20 years of diving in shore & off shore, I have seen maybe a handful of plastic bags but enough plastic holders from six packs & beer cans to fill a football stadium ! Now lets not forget all those Dunkin Donut, Starbuck, Mac Donalds & Burger King cups. So ya, go add another tax on people who already cant afford to eat!
Kim E
9:07 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
Just what we need in this recovery from Sandy and the fiscal cliff, more taxes! Way to go Congress! Idiots.
Tom
9:56 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012
You have to remember these types of so called laws are the only ones they can pass. Try passing a meaningful law and that will take the great leaders forever. Why stop with grocery stores what about all those shopping centers (clothing etc.) with plastic bags stuck to trees and streams that surround their parking lots. Oh you law makers...
Who the heck votes these people in over and over...
jerseyswamps
4:25 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
Plastic bags in our waterways? Then ban those tiny "newspapers" speeding cars throw at the bottom of our driveways. They are all advertisements, no one reads them, no one wants them, they sit there and get soaked then wash into sewers and then, ... into our waterways. Ban those things.
jessica
11:26 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
has anyone else thought that maybe all of NJ should recycle plastic bags. I hear some towns do already but Brick does not. If they did I would I already have more recyclables than garbage.
Bill Heller
3:36 am on Sunday, December 30, 2012
I buy these blue plastic dog poop bags that are biodegradable - they break down over time into harmless compounds when exposed to moisture in a land fill. Wouldn't using this kind of plastic for all plastic bags solve the plastic bag crisis??? .Everything is a crisis these days.
June Herbert
6:42 am on Sunday, December 30, 2012
Since when does the government of the state of new jersey operate our food stores? Bagging our groceries is a part of the operation of those stores, not those in Trenton. Decisions regarding that bagging must be made by the management of those stores. If only our lawmakers would do their job and not try to do what is best done by others.
suz
9:30 am on Sunday, December 30, 2012
There are now states that currently utilize this system with great success. Yes, no one likes change, but we will adjust if necessary.
gabrielle muench
10:21 am on Sunday, December 30, 2012
why dont we go back to paper,
Tex
11:05 am on Sunday, December 30, 2012
I'm going to miss those bags. I use them for all sorts of things like storage, garbage, etc. I don't think I have ever intentionally wasted one or disposed of one into the environment and I believe most responsible citizens do the same. This is just another example of an incompetent legislature trying to make it look like they are doing something.
BelmarKT
3:12 pm on Sunday, December 30, 2012
More taxes... Great! Government will soon control every aspect of our lives. Where does it end?