Plastic Bags
Environmental Impacts of Plastic Bags
Litter waterways and lands
Made of fossil fuels with climate impacts
Harm wildlife that consume or get trapped
Tangle and slow recycling equipment
Costly to local governments to manage and clean up
Avoidable products that are used for just minutes and then persist in landfills or the environment for years
Break down into microplastics that absorb toxins and continue to pollute
Impacts can be avoided by switching to reusable carryout bags!
Key Elements to Effective Plastic Bag Legislation
Plastic Carryout Bag Ban
A complete ban on plastic carryout bags; no plastic carryout bags can be distributed at the point of checkout at businesses.
Benefits
Eliminate bag litter and disposal problems with strong regulations on businesses and few exemptions
Encourages use of reusable bags or not using a bag when unnecessary when no alternative bag option is given
Plastic Carryout Bag Fee
A fee on plastic carryout bags; plastic carryout bags are still distributed but individuals are charged a fee per bag (often 5-10¢).
Benefits
Revenues collected may be allocated to fund litter cleanups
Reduces some plastic bag litter
Use continued to increase year over year in places like Montgomery County
Plastic Carryout Bag Ban and Fee
A ban and fee hybrid system; Ban plastic carryout bags (no plastic carryout bags can be distributed), but add a 5-10¢ fee on paper or non-film plastic reusable bags at checkout.
Benefits
Significantly reduce plastic bag litter and disposal problems with strong regulations and few exemptions
Encourage use of reusable carryout bags with clear definitions of “reusable” to avoid creating loopholes for film plastic bags that are not truly designed to be reused many times (examples include details like stitched handles, non-film plastic, etc.)
Customizable with options to allow merchants to keep all or a portion of the fee or to allocate some of the revenue to cleanup or outreach programs mitigating impacts of bags in the environment
Bag Ban Impacts
The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore hosts an annual Mr. Trash Wheel Dumpster Dive where volunteers sort a dumpster of trash and debris that has been captured by the Trash Wheel. Plastic bag counts decreased since the Baltimore City Plastic Bag Ban went into effect in 2022, and Trash Free Maryland’s cleanups have also found fewer plastic bags since the ban.
Policy Solutions: Bring Your Own Bag Legislation (Bans and Fees)
Bans and fees are key elements of effective bring your own bag legislation. Bans on problematic items like plastic bags decrease their presence in the environment, while fees on alternative bags provided by the seller are designed to incentivize customers to bring their own bag.
Jurisdictions in Maryland with Plastic Bag Bans and Fees.
16 Total Jurisdictions
Counties: Baltimore County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County
Cities/Towns: City of Frederick, City of Salisbury, City of Greenbelt, City of College Park, City of Takoma Park, City of Laurel, City of Westminster, Town of Chestertown, Town of Easton, Town of Centreville
Legislation Information
Counties
-
In effect November 1, 2023
Fee and Ban
5¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic carryout bags
-
In effect October 1, 2020
Fee
5¢ fee on single-use plastic bags
-
In Effect January 1, 2012
Fee
5¢ fee on single-use plastic bags
-
In effect January 1, 2024
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect January 1, 2024
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic bags
Cities/Towns
-
In effect January 1st, 2024
Ban
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect July 1st, 2023
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect January 1st, 2024
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect September 1, 2023
Fee and Ban
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
-
In effect December 1, 2016
Ban
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect January 1, 2022
Fee and Ban
Ban on plastic bags
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer
-
In Effect July 1, 2020
Fee and Ban
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect January 19, 2012
Ban
Ban on plastic bags
-
In effect April 2, 2023
Fee and Ban
Ban on plastic bags
10¢ fee on paper bags provided to customer
-
In effect January 1, 2024
Fee and Ban
Ban on plastic bags
10¢ fee on paper and reusable bags provided to a customer