This page will explore ways for retailers to reduce or eliminate plastic bags. We can start by looking at answers to these questions (feel free to post your thoughts and more questions).
- Is a tax on the bags, such as 15 cents per bag (as the Republic of Ireland introduced) to raise money for environmental programs, preferable/more achievable that an outright ban as the city of San Francisco passed in 2007?
- How would you manage a plastax or ban in Northeast Ohio, with all of its individual municipalities?
- What are the options for retailers other than plastic bags?
Ireland's plastax reduced the use of plastic bags nationwide by 93% (from 1.26 billion
to 76.4 million in one year). Australia introduced a voluntary program for retailers to reduce that country's plastic bag use with a target of 50% reduction from 2002 to 2004. As of 2005, the voluntary program helped Australians reduce plastic bag use by 21%, from 5.95 billion to 4.77 billion. Link.
Below, we've started a list of retailers in the Northeast Ohio area who are trying to eliminate or recycle plastic bags:
- Whole Foods has eliminated plastic bags in all of their stores (beginning on Earthday 2008)
- Zagara's in Cleveland Heights and Giant Eagle stores have bins where customers can put plastic shopping bags to be recycled
- Dave's (Cleveland-based grocery chain) has re-usable plastic/canvas bags for $1
- The Save-A-Lot chain charges $0.10 for bags, which are made of a heavier weight plastic
Resources
- Case study for Scottish plastax
- Australia plastax study
To join the conversation, click here.
