State lawmakers consider bagging plastic bags
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- State lawmakers are considering a measure that would ban plastic bags at all stores.
Opponents argue moving away from plastic should be voluntary, but supporters say shoppers and retailers have become too dependent on plastic bags at the expense of the environment.
Rep. Maralyn Chase, D-Shoreline, has brought the issue forward for the second year in a row, hoping for a statewide ban on all non-biodegradable plastic bags.
"When you start damaging our future generations and damage the nest, they're fouling the nest. And it's time I think for, quite frankly, the mothers and the grandmothers to say 'enough,"' she said.
But those in the grocery business say they favor a voluntary move away from plastic bags. They're hoping consumers will increasingly choose the reusable tote bags instead of their plastic counterparts.
"We have one retailer alone who already in the last six months is down 2.5 million plastic bags simply through education and promotion of the totes; no mandate, no requirement, no ban," said Holly Chisa of Northwest Grocery Association.
One of the key democrats in the House agrees with the voluntary move away from plastic.
"I do like the idea of using the cloth bags - I personally use them - but I don't like somebody hitting my hand with a stick," said Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam and House majority leader.
Chase said she realizes her plastic bag bill faces some stiff opposition, but says creating awareness about the issue is worth the fight.
No vote has been taken on the bill.
Last July, the Seattle City Council approved a 20-cent fee on paper and plastic bags in an effort to encourage the use of reusable shopping bags.
The fee was to go into effect in January, but was stopped by a petition by the Coalition to Stop the Seattle Bag Tax, which had collected 22,000 signatures.
The group is backed by the American Chemistry Council, a trade group representing plastics manufacturers based in Arlington, Va.
The city said the green fee would reduce the number of disposable bags by half. City officials estimate Seattle citizens use 360 million paper or plastic bags each year.
Seattle's green fee is up for a vote this year.
Seattle's bag fee is expected to raise about $3.5 million each year. Seattle Public Utilities needs about $500,000 to run the program. The remainder will be used to offset expected increases in the city's solid-waste rates.
Opponents argue moving away from plastic should be voluntary, but supporters say shoppers and retailers have become too dependent on plastic bags at the expense of the environment.
Rep. Maralyn Chase, D-Shoreline, has brought the issue forward for the second year in a row, hoping for a statewide ban on all non-biodegradable plastic bags.
"When you start damaging our future generations and damage the nest, they're fouling the nest. And it's time I think for, quite frankly, the mothers and the grandmothers to say 'enough,"' she said.
But those in the grocery business say they favor a voluntary move away from plastic bags. They're hoping consumers will increasingly choose the reusable tote bags instead of their plastic counterparts.
"We have one retailer alone who already in the last six months is down 2.5 million plastic bags simply through education and promotion of the totes; no mandate, no requirement, no ban," said Holly Chisa of Northwest Grocery Association.
One of the key democrats in the House agrees with the voluntary move away from plastic.
"I do like the idea of using the cloth bags - I personally use them - but I don't like somebody hitting my hand with a stick," said Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam and House majority leader.
Chase said she realizes her plastic bag bill faces some stiff opposition, but says creating awareness about the issue is worth the fight.
No vote has been taken on the bill.
Last July, the Seattle City Council approved a 20-cent fee on paper and plastic bags in an effort to encourage the use of reusable shopping bags.
The fee was to go into effect in January, but was stopped by a petition by the Coalition to Stop the Seattle Bag Tax, which had collected 22,000 signatures.
The group is backed by the American Chemistry Council, a trade group representing plastics manufacturers based in Arlington, Va.
The city said the green fee would reduce the number of disposable bags by half. City officials estimate Seattle citizens use 360 million paper or plastic bags each year.
Seattle's green fee is up for a vote this year.
Seattle's bag fee is expected to raise about $3.5 million each year. Seattle Public Utilities needs about $500,000 to run the program. The remainder will be used to offset expected increases in the city's solid-waste rates.
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