Are You Willing to Pay 10 Cent per Plastic Bag?

[toystory1130]

I saw this on the news and thought it would be a good idea actually. It would push more people into using more reusable bags, less plastic in the landfills. Do you think it's fair to impose this fee for bags?

http://politicker.com/2013/08/lawmakers-propose-mandatory-fee-for-plastic-bags-in-new-york-city/

 

[MrsPete]

This would motivate me to remember my reusable bags.

Also, I'd want to bag my own stuff. I hate the way the grocery store bag your stuff with 2-3 items per bag! Who wants to bring home that many bags?

 

[Parkhopper]

We have a 5 cent per bag law in effect in our county (Montgomery County, MD right outside of Washington, DC). It is a real pain. We need to take our own bags to ALL stores (grocery stores, department stores, CVS, etc). It is awful when you hop into Sears for one or two items and wind up finding a bunch more...but you didn't bring enough bags inside with you. The law has made a huge difference in the number of people who are bringing re-usable bags with them, but they are also finding that there are huge losses in theft. It is very difficult to determine if someone has already paid for an item if they have already placed it in a bag that they brought...especially as you move from store to store in the mall.

Also, it is actually very unhygienic using the re-usable bags for groceries. If you buy chicken and it leaks, there is a salmonella risk...not to mention you will just want to throw out the bag because of the smell.

Suzi

 

[Colleen27]

Absolutely. Our grocery knocks off a nickel per reusable bag you bring in, and that really helped me get in the habit of using them. A charge for disposables would accomplish the same thing.

MrsPete, I bring my 12yo DD grocery shopping with me just to counter the horrible bagging they offer. The bags are so thin now that I think they have to do things that way - I used to reuse grocery bags for my small garbage cans in the bathrooms and office but now they split as often as not. But my big gripe is that they don't load up reusable bags anywhere near capacity. They treat them almost like plastic, plus they try to wrap anything breakable and any meats in plastic before putting them into the reusables, which defeats the whole point. My bags are washable and they're strong (I make them out of old jeans, tees, and other cast-offs/thrift store finds) - I want them packed to the brim so I don't need ANY plastic. So I bring along my own bagger.

 

[descovy]

Not a problem for me. I reuse the plastic bags I get when I forget to bring my own, even then I have more than enough.

I like the discount I get at Trader Joes and Target. Aldi charges for bags so if I forgot mine I either pay the 5/6c. Or go without.

To charge 10c would not break my grocery budget. It would certainly remind me to bring my own. I'd likely choose to pay the 10c to wrap my meat in plastic, and use my disposables for anything else.

I reuse the plastic bags as much as possible. I use them for trash bags (I refuse to spend real cash on trash bags) and various other needs. And yet I have too many.

Slowing the tide of plastic grocery sacks is a GOOD THING. We're talking 10c if you don't like reusable. That is not obnoxious.

People who are thrifty will bring their own. People who are all about the convenience of plastic won't miss the 10c. Imagine what change is found in their car or couch cushions.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

I wouldn't use reusable bags even if they charged 20 cents per plastic bag. When I buy groceries I usually buy $300 worth. There is no way I could lug in enough bags for all my stuff.

What is odd though is I have usually already cpmpletely paid and checked out before they are even half way through bagging my stuff so how do they know how many bags to charge you for? Do they wait until the last bag is done before ringing you up?

 

[Sagginit]

ehhh. i have been using my own bags for almost a decade now. i remember when i bought my first set of organic ones online, some stores refused to let me use them! my gripe is i work in the city and sometimes you just need a bag. for ex. i got lunch yesterday and they use environmentally friendly cardboard packaging, but it leaks so i need a plastic bag. a reusable bag wouldn't work b/c if it gets dirty i would have to take home a dirty bag to wash it and bring it back. i think there should be some places that can use plastic bags, like take out food places, or if you buy meat at a foodstore.

that being said i know packaging costs $ and why not just pass it on to the consumer?

 

[3boymthr]

We have a 5 cent per bag law in effect in our county (Montgomery County, MD right outside of Washington, DC). It is a real pain. We need to take our own bags to ALL stores (grocery stores, department stores, CVS, etc). It is awful when you hop into Sears for one or two items and wind up finding a bunch more...but you didn't bring enough bags inside with you. The law has made a huge difference in the number of people who are bringing re-usable bags with them, but they are also finding that there are huge losses in theft. It is very difficult to determine if someone has already paid for an item if they have already placed it in a bag that they brought...especially as you move from store to store in the mall.

Also, it is actually very unhygienic using the re-usable bags for groceries. If you buy chicken and it leaks, there is a salmonella risk...not to mention you will just want to throw out the bag because of the smell.

Suzi

Nope - I don't find it un-hygenic at all. I simply throw them in the washing machine on gentle cycle (hot water wash to kill the germs) and then into the dryer. And for the ones that are plastic and can't go in the washer I find lysol wipes are very handy for cleaning those.

 

[tvguy]

No, I would not support a fee for plastic bags.

I would support a total ban on them.

I hate plastic bags, they fall over in the trunk of the car, dumping all their contents, and they don't hold anything. Give me a biodegradable paper bag anytime.
I am not a fan of reusable bags.

 

[nbrmommy2005]

During the summers I live in Spain. At the grocery store you have to pay for plastic bags. I think it is a wonderful idea!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I use reusable bags, but when I get plastic bags I use them as liners in my smaller trash cans and for pet wastes.

 

[star72232]

It's 5 cents per bag in my city (although only the grocery stores are required to charge it, and somehow Walmart doesn't have to charge, even though they sell groceries). I don't mind. I keep some reusable bags in my car for trips I make spur of the moment and others that I take with me for regular grocery trips.

The stores will replace them for free when they get holes, etc, so they are a good buy. All of mine can go in the wash, so hygiene isn't an issue. And I own plenty to get $200+ in groceries regularly. I use them for all kinds of things besides of groceries.

And on the rare trips I forget my bags, I pay the bag fee with only a small sigh.

 

[superme80]

I use reusable bags, but I do not agree with charging for plastic bags. If a store or a town has a charge for bags I refuse to shop there.

 

[jkatzz]

I. Om with them charging. They do this in Europe and I didn't find it at all an issue.

 

[SamSam]

Charge away! Plastic bags need to go away, they create waste that takes forever to go away. I carry a number of reusable bags in my car and just grab what I think I'll need for any shopping trip. If I end up needing a plastic bag, I don't mind paying and then I'll reuse that bag at home for other things.

 

[luvmy3]

I pay for bags at Aldi's. They are nice heavy bags. I re-use those.
I would not pay for bags at my grocery store because they suck. They are so thin and I have to double up on them when I have anything other than bread in them. So their brilliant plan to make them better for the environment has only made people use more of them. No way I would I give them extra money for such an idiotic idea. Make them thick like the Aldi's ones and I'd consider it.

 

[tasha99]

A town in Oregon (Eugene) has adopted a bag policy--you can buy paper bags for 10 cents (or maybe 5 cents) each. Plastic bags are outlawed!

If I'm that area, I purposely drive the extra miles to Springfield. Out here at the coast, it's a constant topic of conversation in grocery stores.


Imo, it's a big PITA. I am morally opposed to it because the law dictates what a store can charge for a bag instead of letting them set their own price. Then, there's the no plastic part. I use every plastic bag I get for litter scooping.

 

[mommasita]

It has been a few years for us.. It is 5cents a bag... Almost EVERYONE uses reusable bags... Only Wal-Mart doesn't charge, I can't think of any other chain that doesn't..

IMHO they carry more food, don't topple over in the trunk of my SUV..

 

[Viva Las Disney]

I wouldn't have a problem with a charge even though I still doubt I'd use re-usable bags, it's just one more thing for me to forget or lose. I think the benefit would be better packing or not using bags at all when not needed.

I hate the way the grocery store bag your stuff with 2-3 items per bag! Who wants to bring home that many bags?

This drives me nuts also, it's so wasteful. I usually use the self serve kiosks and I can fit everything in 5 bags that usually takes the store 10. I also hate that stores always try to use a bag even when I'm only buying 1 or 2 items I can easily just carry, they are always nice when I say I don't need one though.

Give me a biodegradable paper bag anytime.
I am not a fan of reusable bags.

I wish they would just bring back the old paper bags.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I used to use the cloth bags, but found they fell apart in the wash.
I agree with the meat issue, in order to keep the meat from leaking you have to use a plastic bag anyway.

Waste could be prevented by grocers bagging properly, I routinely get twice as many bags as I need, if not more. The large bags like Kohls/Macys are used as trash bags.

I'm against a fee.