PA Tax on Plastic Bags
PA Tax on Plastic Bags
The Issue
The average American family accumulates a shocking 1,500 plastic bags every year. Among other forms of plastic (i.e. bottled water, plastic utensils, plates, etc.), plastic bags have come to play a massive role in our society.
Are they convenient? Yes, but plastic bags also waste nonrenewable resources, bring harm to marine life, and contribute greatly to CO2 emissions. To top it off, plastic bags, and other plastic products, never fully decompose, but instead take thousands of years to break down into smaller plastic pieces.
Evidently, our society is facing a plastic problem-largely because plastic is so integrated into our lives. So what if we taxed plastic bags? Taxing plastic bags will allow the consumer to actively consider if he/she truly needs a plastic bag for purchases, and therefore could lead to less plastic consumption per person. Charging an extra 5 to 10 cents per bag is enough for consumers to stop and think about their decisions.
California currently bans single-use plastic bags at large retail stores, and requires a 10-cent minimum charge for recycled paper bags, reusable plastic bags, and compostable bags at certain locations. Other states like Hawaii, New York, Maine, etc. have also enacted plastic bag legislation. Countries like China have also enacted similar policies that taxed plastic bags; Chinese supermarkets reportedly reduced plastic bag usage by 66 percent after limitation.
Currently, Pennsylvania's lawmakers are considering a 2-cent tax on plastic bags. However, I don't believe this is enough. 2 cents is negligible in comparison to the $1-3 reusable bags sold at grocery stores. Raising this tax to 10 cents would be much more effective, and promote more incentive towards eco-friendliness.
"Why can't we just recycle them?" Unfortunately, many recycling machines don't accept plastic bags since they pose harm to the machinery. Combined with apathy towards recycling, only about 1% of our plastic bag consumption is actually recycled! Besides, reducing our plastic consumption is much more effective than relying on recycling in the long run.
Our oceans are filling with plastic waste, to the extent where whales are found dead with 88 pounds of plastic in their stomach. Our environment is already suffering from greenhouse gas emissions and plastic litter.
With all the consequences of plastic overconsumption made clear, it is imperative that we take action. Sign this petition to show your support for a 5-10 cent tax on plastic bags in Pennsylvania and show our representatives your concern.
Feel free to learn more:
https://conservingnow.com/plastic-bag-consumption-facts/
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6167
http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/plastic-bag-legislation.aspx
2,850
The Issue
The average American family accumulates a shocking 1,500 plastic bags every year. Among other forms of plastic (i.e. bottled water, plastic utensils, plates, etc.), plastic bags have come to play a massive role in our society.
Are they convenient? Yes, but plastic bags also waste nonrenewable resources, bring harm to marine life, and contribute greatly to CO2 emissions. To top it off, plastic bags, and other plastic products, never fully decompose, but instead take thousands of years to break down into smaller plastic pieces.
Evidently, our society is facing a plastic problem-largely because plastic is so integrated into our lives. So what if we taxed plastic bags? Taxing plastic bags will allow the consumer to actively consider if he/she truly needs a plastic bag for purchases, and therefore could lead to less plastic consumption per person. Charging an extra 5 to 10 cents per bag is enough for consumers to stop and think about their decisions.
California currently bans single-use plastic bags at large retail stores, and requires a 10-cent minimum charge for recycled paper bags, reusable plastic bags, and compostable bags at certain locations. Other states like Hawaii, New York, Maine, etc. have also enacted plastic bag legislation. Countries like China have also enacted similar policies that taxed plastic bags; Chinese supermarkets reportedly reduced plastic bag usage by 66 percent after limitation.
Currently, Pennsylvania's lawmakers are considering a 2-cent tax on plastic bags. However, I don't believe this is enough. 2 cents is negligible in comparison to the $1-3 reusable bags sold at grocery stores. Raising this tax to 10 cents would be much more effective, and promote more incentive towards eco-friendliness.
"Why can't we just recycle them?" Unfortunately, many recycling machines don't accept plastic bags since they pose harm to the machinery. Combined with apathy towards recycling, only about 1% of our plastic bag consumption is actually recycled! Besides, reducing our plastic consumption is much more effective than relying on recycling in the long run.
Our oceans are filling with plastic waste, to the extent where whales are found dead with 88 pounds of plastic in their stomach. Our environment is already suffering from greenhouse gas emissions and plastic litter.
With all the consequences of plastic overconsumption made clear, it is imperative that we take action. Sign this petition to show your support for a 5-10 cent tax on plastic bags in Pennsylvania and show our representatives your concern.
Feel free to learn more:
https://conservingnow.com/plastic-bag-consumption-facts/
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6167
http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/plastic-bag-legislation.aspx
2,850
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on May 16, 2019