DC bag tax would harm recycling programmes - chem council

01 April 2009 20:47  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--An American Chemistry Council (ACC) group is rallying District of Columbia residents against a proposed tax on paper and plastic bags at grocery stores, claiming the legislation would harm plastic bag recycling programmes, the Progressive Bag Affiliates said on Wednesday.

The proposed five-cent per bag fee, intended to promote the use of reusable shopping bags while reducing pollution in the Anacostia river, would also hurt low-income residents, the group said.

Progressive Bag Affiliates is an ACC group whose members include Dow Chemical, ExxonMobil, NOVA Chemicals and others.

A public hearing in the district is scheduled for Wednesday, with the ACC group attempting to organise residents to speak out against the measure.

“Plastics are too valuable to waste and should be recycled,” the ACC group said in a statement.

“This misguided proposal would derail plastic bag recycling programmes, have little if any effect on litter, and do nothing to improve the Anacostia’s water quality. And paying this new ‘food tax’ would hit hardest on the poor and seniors in the middle of a recession.”

The group said plastic bag and film recycling increased by 27% from 2005 to 2007. The recycling creates new plastic bags as well as durable plastic lumber for use in products such as park benches, the ACC group said.

Bag legislation has already gone into effect in the California cities of Santa Monica, San Francisco and Oakland, where city ordinances ban all or almost all plastic bags.

Likewise, Colorado lawmakers considered a state-wide bill in February that would have banned all plastic bags by large retailers. But that was later rejected on the fear that the ban would cause an increased use of paper bags, which also have environmental consequences.

While not proposing a direct ban, the DC bag legislation would go a step further by addressing both plastic and paper bags.

“The overwhelming majority of states and localities that have looked at this issue have concluded that recycling is the best way to control litter,” the ACC group said.

The proposal appears to have widespread support among district politicians, with 11 signing to co-introduce the bill.

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By: Ben DuBose
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