'Bring Your Own Bag': Montgomery County bill would ban plastic bags, charge for paper

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Montgomery County leaders are considering a bill that would ban plastic carryout bags and place a 10-cent fee on paper bags.

Bill 2424, also known as the "Bring Your Own Bag" bill, was introduced Tuesday before the Montgomery County councils. Plastic bags take more than 1,000 years to decompose, according to bill sponsors.

Council vice president Kate Stewart is the bill’s lead sponsor and said the environmental and human health protections are the main reasoning behind the proposal.

"We still have too many plastic bags that get caught in our waterways. You’ll see on windy days, they get caught in trees. We know there are great public health risks also with so much plastic in our waterways," Councilmember Stewart said.

The bill primarily applies to single-use plastic carry-out bags, such as bags used in grocery stores and convenience stores. Smaller plastic bags used for produce, for example, would be exempt. The proposal would also place a 10-cent fee for paper bags. Other exemptions have been included after speaking with retailers, chambers and restaurant associations, according to Stewart.

"What we heard from them is that when folks are doing carryout or get delivery that having the fee on the paper bag would be very cumbersome for them to put into place. So, we are exempting carry food, delivery food from the fee. They still can’t use plastic bags, but there will be no fee on the paper bags," she said.

Shoppers FOX 5 spoke with had mixed reactions. Joyce Bryant of Rockville said she didn’t think the proposed fee was fair.

"I have a problem with that because taxing to buy a grocery bag of any kind. It’s just ridiculous to me. I think it’s unfair. My economic status is not…I’m not wealthy, but you know, I don’t have to count pennies," Bryant said. "I think that’s really, really unfair to be taxing for a paper bag."

Sylvia Hill also took issue with the proposal.

"I don’t think they should ban bags. Some people come in the store forget their bags, then have to pay the bag tax. I think it’s unfair," Hill said. "They should go back to before. Free bags. You shop at the grocery store, you pay enough taxes there. Why can’t you get free bags?"

David Schwartzman said he understands the environmental protection aspect.

"It has its use. I mean, I understand some of the concerns, but I think environmentally it’s a good idea given that plastic especially gets disposed and ends up in the waterways and sea life gets destroyed by it,"

Schwartzman said. "If that’s what is necessary, I think it’s not a bad idea. As human beings, we have an obligation to the rest of the planet, and if this is part of our obligation, anyone wants to whine about it…the planet is being screwed up enough as it is."

Phillip Wesley of Silver Spring said he isn’t sure whether the ban would be effective.

"A lot of consumer products come with plastic. So, I mean it’s good that they’re banning plastic bags, but I don’t think that’s going to have that much impact," Wesley said.

Now that the bill has been introduced, it will be assigned to a committee before hearings.