Politics & Government

Bag Tax Legislation for Prince George's County Moves Forward

College Park-ians who support the fee hope it will lead to positive environmental impacts.

By Drew Grossman
Capital News Service

As Prince George's County lawmakers move to impose a fee on plastic and paper bags, environmental organizations said a similar fee in Washington, D.C., has sharply reduced the amount of trash in the Anacostia River.

College Park-ians who support the fee hope the same positive impacts will be felt here and will help to clean up the waterways.

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"The plastic in our oceans is really out of control, and it's becoming a big problem,” said Scott Nash, the owner of . The grocery store in north College Park doesn’t offer plastic grocery bags—only paper bags—and encourages shoppers to use reusable bags.

College Park City Council meeting said they already recycle plastic bags and didn’t want to be punished for those who do not.

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Councilwoman (Dist. 3) said her initial reaction was the same, because she recycles her bags, but she decided the fee was worth it for the environmental benefits. Council voted that evening to support the proposed fee.

“Really I think in a way it’s a behavior modification tool,” said Janis Oppelt of the city’s . “It’s sort of motivating to say ‘No, I’m going to use those canvas bags. I’m going to remember them.’” It’s a habit she said she had to teach herself.

Nash agreed with Oppelt, that some shoppers need a little push.

"I hate to say it, but people usually don't change until they are forced to change or until it hits their pocketbook and they feel the need to change," Nash said. "I feel like most people go through life somewhat oblivious about stuff like this."

Since a similar fee was imposed in Washington, D.C., in January 2010, the volume of trash in the Anacostia River has gone down drastically, according to Mike Bolinder, a member of Waterkeeper Alliance, a group that works to protect bodies of water from pollution.

"The volume of bags in relation to other trash has dropped almost 100 percent, I rarely see a bag in the traps anymore," he said.

In a February 2011 study on litter in the District, the Alice Ferguson Foundation, a Maryland nonprofit environmental organization, found that 75 percent of residents surveyed said they have reduced their use of plastic bags since the fee was introduced.

But not everyone is enthusiastic about the possibility of a bag fee in Prince George's.

"It should be a choice," said Regina Brannon, 48, of Greenbelt. "You are supposed to be able to buy a product and get a bag. Whether you want to or not, you will have to carry a bag."

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Related Event: The city's CBE will partner with the Prince George's County Sierra Club to hold a movie viewing at 1 p.m. on Jan. 25 at , to watch the film "Bag It," which investigates the effect of plastic on waterways, oceans and the body. (.)

Shannon Hoffman contributed to this report. For the full story from the Capital News Service, .


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