Sustainability Legislation: Ban “Free” Plastic Bags
Chris Ann Lunghino
Plastic bags. Oakville residents consume approximately 87,500 of them
every day. That’s 612,500 per week. 31,850,000 per year. A lot of
plastic bags.
We know where they end up. We see them everywhere. Littering our parks,
our school grounds, our streets, our woods, and our lakes. Plastic bags
clog our garbage cans and ultimately our landfill.
The visibility of plastic bag pollution has led numerous communities worldwide to ban or fine the distribution of plastic bags. Ireland, Taiwan, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the Indian province of Himachal Pradesh all ban or fine plastic bag use. San Francisco recently enacted legislation that will ban plastic bags at checkout counters in large supermarkets and drugstores beginning in 2008.
Communities that have enacted anti-plastic bag legislation have seen a dramatic drop in plastic bag litter. Since 2002, Ireland has imposed a plastic-bag tax of 15 cents per bag, resulting in a 90 percent reduction in use and annual revenue of between 3.5 and 10 million euros. The government spends that money on environmental projects. Taiwan levies large fines against businesses that give away plastic bags. Since 2003, use of plastic shopping bags in Taiwan has decreased 69 percent nationwide.
Some Oakville residents and retailers are taking voluntary action to
cut back on plastic bag consumption. It’s increasingly common to see
shoppers arrive at the checkout stand with reusable bags and to see
retailers selling reusable cloth bags and giving discounts to customers
for bag reuse.
Unfortunately, plastic bag conscious consumers and distributors are relatively rare. Decreasing plastic bag consumption requires action. Opinion varies about the best way to curb plastic bag use. Some argue for legislation requiring consumers to pay a per bag tax. Others propose legislation banning plastic bag distribution all together. Whatever form it takes, it is clear that anti-plastic bag legislation would help us curb our appetite for plastic bags and change our daily habits.
Reducing plastic bag use will benefit both current Oakville residents and the generations to come. Let’s take the next step toward making Oakville a sustainable community. If you are interested in helping us, please let us know.
