Texas Campaign for the Environment: News

KVUE News Austin, June 24, 2010 By Sarah Lucero

Is Texas next state to ban plastic grocery bags?

California is moving closer to a statewide ban on those flimsy, white plastic shopping bags. A bill outlawing them passed the state Assembly, and is expected to pass the state Senate. Could Texas be next?

There are more and more proposals being drawn up at the local and state level to eliminate or place a tax on the bags.

Plastic bags are bad for the environment. Most are produced using oil, and, by some estimates, 90 percent end up dumped in a landfill or clogging up streams. But those free bags can also cost you money, even if you don't use them.

"It seems free but it really adds up," says Rick Cofer with the Bag the Bag Coalition.

Austin city lawmakers have been working on plastic bag bans or taxes for several years. San Antonio and state leaders also recently began taking action. There is a state senate committee considering a proposal that would lead to big changes for Texas.

In one California estimate out of San Francisco, it was determined the cost to taxpayers in San Francisco was 17 cents every time someone used one of these bags. They are now banned in that city.

"It simply costs too much money. Its not sustainable long term, environmentally or economically," says Cofer

In Texas, Representative Rafael Anchia, from District 103, is proposing adding a seven cent tax per bag as the solution. He hopes this will spur more people to choose biodegradable paper bags, or better yet reusable bags. "What this is really about is getting people to make different choices," says Anchia.

San Antonio city leaders have a similar plan to eliminate plastic bags. Council members have also begun discussions on a bag ban or tax. "There will be some input, some working groups, input from stakeholders, including business owners, neighborhood folks and environmentalists," says Councilman Justin Rodriguez.

Grocery retailers like H-E-B, in San Antonio and others in Austin have been working on ways to cut back on the amount of bags entering the waste stream. H-E-B is one of a number of retailers offering recycle bins for these bags and has recycled ten-million plastic bags since 2006.