Plastic bag ban could cost consumers

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Are you willing to pay for bags to carry your groceries home?  That's a possibility if a proposed plastic bag ban goes into affect.

The public got to weigh in on the idea before the Solid Waste Advisory Commission Wednesday night.

The idea is to eliminate these types of plastic bags and certain types of paper bags from our landfills.
To do that, the city is considering charging customers for these types of  bags for three years, then eventually banning them from many stores across the city.

At the Wheatsville Coop, shoppers are already on the cutting edge of being bag conscience.

The store encourages people to carry reusable and recyclable bags, offers nickel refunds for bags, provides boxes for shoppers, and stocks paper bags that already meet standards proposed by the city.

"They are made of 100 percent compostable, recyclable materials," said Wheatesville Coop Brand Manager Raquel Dadomo.

But many retailers and shoppers still use other kinds of paper and plastic bags.

"We still all share the planet together and we have to find a way or a solution to make bags and our planet a sustainable place to live," said Dadomo.

The city's draft ordinance includes an education campaign for the public throughout all of next year,  For three years after, the proposal includes retailers charge customers without a Lone Star Card, a 25 cent surcharge for each plastic or paper bag.  Then in 2016, disposable plastic and paper bags would be banned altogether in many places and shoppers would have to buy and use reusable bags only.

Money from the bag tax collected during the transition phase would be split between the retailer for costs of charging for bags and to the city for recycling programs.

"I certainly wouldn't mind paying the 25 cents for the plastic bag, if that's what the city is going to do to reinvest the money into environmental programs," said shopper Will Chambers.

But for some families, 25 cents a bag, for three years--will cost too much.

"That would be an extra burden on a person.  You also have to look at the people who can't afford 25 cents.  Low income people. I'm in that bracket.  We're all working hard trying to survive," said shopper Rosalind Mayberry.

Others understand the need to limit bags in landfills--but don't know if the city's current draft proposal is the way to do it.

"I understand why, but I think the problem is not going to be to ban us and charge us 25 cents a bag, but to give us a bag that's actually recyclable.  Let's work the problem, just don't go for the easiest solution," said shopper Terri Slaughter.

 Again the 25 cent fee would not be charged for people with Lone Star Cards issued by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.  City leaders will hold another public hearing on this issue in January before council ultimately votes on the draft ordinance.