New Bag Law in Effect in Montgomery County Maryland
As everyone knows by now, January 1 brought the new carryout bag law to Montgomery County, Maryland. Under the law, a five-cent charge is placed on each paper or plastic carryout bag provided by retail establishments in the County to customers at the point of sale, pickup or delivery. However, shoppers can avoid the charge by bringing their own reusable bags.
The revenues that are collected -- above administrative costs -- will go to the County’s Water Quality Protection Fund that pays for things such as storm water management, watershed restoration and litter clean-up. Plastic bags are one of the top four items found in County streams and storm water controls. And, taxpayers bear the financial burden of cleaning up or removing this litter -- more than $3 million a year in Montgomery County for code enforcement, street sweeping and litter clean-up. That’s why the more people who use reusable bags and the less revenue the County receives the better it is for taxpayers who save money on cleanup and for our waterways that can then remain clean and healthy. It’s not about the money, it’s about doing the right thing for the environment.
On January 3, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett handed out hundreds of reusable bags to shoppers at the Safeway in Hillandale, while Council President Roger Berliner and volunteers distributed hundreds more around the County. Throughout that one day, nearly 1,000 bags were given out among sites at: downtown Bethesda, Little Bitts cake and candy supply store in Wheaton, Walmart in Germantown and the Safeway at King Farm. All told, more than 40,000 bags have been distributed so far, with another 30,000 to come.
Various local businesses have stepped up to donate bags which have gone, primarily, to low-income families/individuals and seniors through local non-profits and other organizations serving these populations. Thanks to the retailers who have helped as many residents as possible receive bags and to the volunteers who gave out bags at each site.
SOURCE: Montgomery County MD, The Paperless Airplane
I grew up in Kensington. We never had street sweeping or trash clean up! We didn't need it!
And the taxpayers will still pay for all that now, just in a different way!
I grew up in the U.K. and, when I was a teenager, grocery stores introduced a charge for each plastic grocery bag. It was simple - we received a small credit for bringing our own reusable bags or were charged per bag to use theirs. To this day, my British family and friends avoid this charge by always carrying their reusable bags with them. I personally just visited an otherwise beautiful Carribean Island and I was shocked to see so many plastic grocery bags blowing around and abandoned. In my humble opinion, a universal charge for these environmentally destructive items can't come soon enough across the board.
Lucy, I agree that this is a good thing for the environment no matter where we live. Even for 5 cents per bag, it makes me think twice and come prepared with my own bags.
Jay, I'm not sure who gets the 5 cents per bag that we now pay but I can appriciate the difference it will make on our streets.