Lawmaker sponsors bill to tax plastic bags in Texas

Here's what I read online about a Dallas lawmaker sponsoring a bill to tax plastic bags: The solution suggested is a 7-cent tax on plastic bags.

This tax on plastic bags in Texas could be part of the solution to ending use of the ubiquitous and environmentally unfriendly sacks. The Dallas Democrat wants Texas to join two other states pondering the problems, pollution and politics of taxing each of the ubiquitous sacks that start at groceries, hardware stores and retail shops but often end up in sewer systems, landfills, parking lots, riverbeds, up against fences and blowing down highways.

"If people know that there's an added cost to doing plastic, they're either going to use paper, which is biodegradable, or they're going to bring their own bag," he said.


Under his bill, a small part of the 7 cents charged on each plastic bag would go back to the retailer while the rest would help cities run their recycling programs. "The smart, savvy retailers are going to embrace this".

The city of Austin considered a ban on the plastic bags, as have El Paso and Arlington. But instead of an outright ban, Austin began a voluntary program in 2008. Data collected by the five participants – H-E-B, Randall's, Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Target – showed that in the first six months, plastic bag recycling increased 20 percent, the stores sold 443,227 reusable bags, and demand for the disposable plastic bags dropped 40 percent.

I believe what'll make this work is a sustained effort to reduce plastic bags. Taxing plastic bags is one step, the next is to promote reusbale, and bio-degradabel cotton, calico and canvas bags in its place. And where would you find such bags? Simple. Log on to KOPE INITIATIVES.

We make earth-saving bags; and you'll love to use them.
.