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Should We Tax the Plastic Bag

Ireland has recently introduced an interesting law, which has placed a 15-cent tax on the plastic bag. Combined with an advertising campaign to make the plastic bag unacceptable, use has fallen between 90-94%. Within a few weeks, there was a visual improvement in the number of plastic bags littering the environment. Other countries such as Bangladesh and China have gone further and banned the plastic bag.

Due to its relative success, many are suggesting we should implement this policy in the U.S. These are some of the economic, social and environmental arguments in favor of taxing the plastic bag.

• Reduces costs to shops. Usually shops are reluctant to charge for plastic bags. But, if they have to charge, people will be increasingly likely to use alternatives and reuse old bags.
  
• Reduces Litter. In the U.S., we have a real problem with litter, 50% of which seems to be plastic bags. They get blown into trees where they could be stuck for years, causing visual blight to the environment. If plastic bag use was discouraged the amount of litter would be significantly reduced.
  
• Plastic Bags are not biodegradeable. Plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to photodegrade, therefore our landfills are full of plastic bags which don’t breakdown.
  
• Bad for Wildlife. Because plastic bags often make their way to the oceans and waterways, many animals are killed each year by choking after mistaking them for food.
  
• Reduce dependence on oil based products. Because plastic bags are made from oil they increase our dependence on oil imports. With rising prices of oil there is an increased desire to avoid oil products where necessary.
• Tax Raises Revenue. An estimated $10 million annually.
  

A cent-tax on plastic bags could generate millions of dollars in revenue each year.