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Before getting started on crime bill debate, the D.C. Council went ahead and passed the Anacostia River Clean Up and Protection Act on a second reading earlier today, sending the legislation to Mayor Fenty for his signature. The first vote took place just two weeks ago; both votes were unanimous. The key feature of the law is a new 5 cent fee on consumers per paper or plastic carryout bag taken from District retailers. If all goes according to plan, and there's no reason at this point to think it won't, the five cent fees would be in place by January, 2010, so you've got roughly six months to get used to carrying around your own reusable bags.
Disposable Bag Fee Gets Swift Final Approval
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We went to the Macy's at 12th & G this morning for the Black Friday morning specials. There was a sh
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So basically, if we all stop using plastic bags, which in theory is a good thing (less waste, more environmental awareness, etc.) and are therefore not paying the bag tax (which I can only assume will not just be thrown into the cost of the purchase as I'm sure some retailers would love to do because they're lazy), then there will be no money going to the Anacostia River Clean Up.
Sure, that makes sense.
True, successfully curbing use of plastic bags will mean less money into the cleanup fund but that's not a flaw of the bill. The main aim of the bill is to keep bags from entering the Anacostia in the first place, thereby reducing the need for a cleanup fund.
This is supposed to be a reply to the very first comment.
The bill also creates a specialty license plate ($25 extra per year), and a line on DC income tax forms where people can contribute money.
Can I return my unused bags for money?
It it were me, I'd start stocking up. Can't ever have enough plastic bags around.
Currently I reuse the plastic bags from the grocery store as garbage bags in my bathroom. Under the new rule, I will switch to resusable bags and then have to go out and buy additional plastic bags for the bathroom trash cans.
Now, because I think this entire exercise is pure nonsense and I really don't care at all about the condition of the Anacostia River because it is bordered on both sides by 3rd World ghettos, I will make it a point to dump my new purchased trash bags, and all of their trash, into the Anacostia River.
I've been to 3rd world ghettos and SE & SW DC are barely that. Please stop with the hyperbole.
Or, to avoid the eventual arrest resulting from such an unnecessarily dramatic and counterproductive gesture, you could always just get one disposable bag at checkout for a nickel when you need a new garbage bag, and use reusable bags for the rest.
The Anacostia is bordered by suburbs up into Maryland, and in DC both Anacostia (hardly a 3rd world ghetto, unless you have never been to a third world ghetto), and eventually Cap Hill which is filled with mostly >700K homes. There is a great book titled simply Anacostia (John Wennersten), which provides some insight into the history of the river, and helps people understand how a legacy of pollution has helped destroy the neighborhoods along it's banks over the years, you might find it interesting, but based on your comment, probably not.
There is an easy solution, when you buy those garbage bags, by some biodegradable ones, instead of the plastic ones you use now. And when you think of the river try to remember that it feeds into the Potomac, the Bay, and eventually the ocean. So your shit filled bag potentially has a long range of pollution.
Just another way of raising taxes. The stores will gladly pass this tax on to the consumer. I currently reuse my plastic bags for my dogs waste. So now instead I will just buy another form of the plastic bag and still be taxed by the city for both versions of them.
I believe many of the plastic bags for dog cleanup are biodegradable and they are exempt from the fee.
or just buy more fruits and vegetables.
My bad I thought they were taxing the stores for every bag but it looks as if its 5cents straight out of my pocket. Nice.
why aren't you people reading the bill? produce baggies are exempt! you can put your doggie doo in them!
Yeah -- one grape-one bag. Plenty that way.
Yeah! Another law that will help keep the poor in poverty by further reducing their real income. Gotta love DC.
Reusable bags are available for free in many cases. Also, some of the stores (maybe Giant(?)) will provide a discount of five cents every time, thereby saving the poor money.
If nothing else, re-use the plastic bag a few times.
Yeah! Another law that will help keep the poor in poverty by further reducing their real income. Gotta love DC.
Yeah! Another law that will help keep the poor in poverty by further reducing their real income. Gotta love DC.
Are you happy that your taxes are currently going to pay for Anacostia cleanup anyway? Wouldn't you prefer that it be paid for by the very people whose plastic bag disposal is causing the pollution problem? Also, I've noticed a number of people fishing down near the confluence, where the fish must be full of the toxins these bags produce -- you can bet some of them are poorer folks fishing for food for their families. If you don't give a damn about the river, at least think of them.
Deep - you can reuse your used bag and avoid paying the 5 cent fee, which is kind of the same benefit as returning it for money, right?
This is great news.
Do you think the store isn't charging you for bags now?
augh, that was supposed to reply to BigL
Seems the commenting system has gone haywire. I know they charge us now. I also retracted the first statement.
But my point still stands. The store has to buy the bags now, but they give them to customers for "free." But that cost is still wrapped into the cost of the food. If people stop taking the "free" bags, the store doesn't have to buy them. Cost of food goes down.
That's why the bill also includes paper bags, which cost the store even more to buy.
Aldi and Save-a-lot, two groceries in Maryland, charge for bags already, and their food prices are as much as 30% lower than Giant/Safeway/et al in a comparable neighborhood.
Hopefully this posts, once, and in the right place (under Big L, #17). I hate looking like a comment dummy.
augh, that was supposed to reply to BigL
You can always come to Virginia and use our bags! My recycling company actually requires that my paper/cardboard waste be placed in a paper bag separate from the other recyclables. Phew, glad I'm not paying for my brown bags on top of my exorbitant recycling fees. It would almost make one not want to recycle their paper…
there's really not much to complain about here if you use the bags to haul trash. No matter how you do the math, 100 grocery bags are still going to be cheaper than 20 hefty trash bags. to avoid the pests that dwell atop the swamp with me, i take my trash out daily. and i'd much rather throw out a nickel than a quarter anyday or not at all.