Since 2012, Montgomery County has taxed plastic bag use in retail stores. Despite this, there are still many counties in Maryland and the U.S. that do not utilize this tax. However, this year, statewide plastic bag laws will be enforced in New York, Maine, Vermont, and Oregon, with Delaware and Connecticut joining in 2021. This movement has been gaining momentum since California adopted the ban in 2014 and advocates have been noting its success, claiming that the environment has benefitted without harm to local businesses and economies. If over 22 percent of the country’s population is already projected to adopt a bag-free lifestyle by 2021, should other states follow?

PRO -Spread That Tax

by Anjali  Berma ’20

The climate change movement is broadening and with this come small steps economies must take to do their part towards working against environmental change. The dangers of excessive plastic bag use including its contamination of food sources, its centuries-long decomposition time, and its difficulty in recycling, have not changed. If anything, these problems have only been amplified over the years in many places. The truth about the destructiveness of plastic bags must be more widely spread and implementing a nickel bag tax can deliver this message across the U.S. rapidly.

In Montgomery County alone, plastic bags make up a third of the trash flooding local streams and rivers, which is what inspired the nickel bag tax present today. Since its implementation in January of 2012, this tax has raised $10.4 million going towards pollution and stormwater control programs. The data is clear. The plastic bag tax has helped Montgomery County and it can help the rest of the United States as well, giving the economy a chance to allocate funds for environmental gain.

Even if people refuse to take alternatives to plastic bags, this tax can be a five-cent reminder each time they shop that the environment needs action. Advocacy is the first step. As more and more states adopt this tax, the results will be seen nationwide. Advocates must keep championing for change.

Con –Stop the Nickel Tax

by Christianna Tran ’20

Although climate change is a huge issue that needs to be addressed, taxing plastic bags is not the right way to go about it.

According to a study by the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark, the production and manufacturing of reusable alternative bags leave a larger carbon footprint than plastic bags. This means that one must use most fabric bags over 40 times in order to match a plastic bag’s carbon footprint—a conventional cotton bag must be reused about 7,300 times to match.

Plastic bags are also beneficial for many reasons as they can be repurposed and reused. For example, plastic bags can be used in households as garbage liners, storage bags, and compost holders. Expanding the bag tax would simply make these reusable options less accessible. Plastic bags can also be recycled at a variety of retail stores in order to be repurposed.

Fabric reusable bags can also be unsafe when storing food. Unlike plastic bags, fabric can absorb messes and leaks from food and can be a great place for bacteria growth. In certain cases food items, such as chicken, need plastic bags to prevent contamination with other foods.

The tax on plastic bags is not as favorable as many may believe. This tax does very little to help the environment in any meaningful way. According to a Washington Post investigation, only a third of the 2015 DC tax revenue was used for pollution control and watershed protection with the rest going to staff salaries and education.

The tax should not be expanded as it can allow for a variety of unintended consequences and can do little to really help the climate change issue.