Everything You Need To Know About NYC’s Bag Tax

The New York City Council recently approved a five cent fee on most disposable plastic and paper bags used by retailers. Many people view this legislation as a positive step towards reducing the potentially harmful impact plastic and paper bags can have on our environment and on area plants, trees and wildlife.

Reducing the amount of bags out there can prevent overuse of our landfills and waste management facilities. But while making it harder to get plastic will have some benefits, we firmly believe that charging a fee is short sighted. The city would be better off putting its resources behind a robust recycling program instead.

We believe the best policy here is based on three principles: educate, reuse and recycle.

We should need to educate the public about the environmental impact of these products. Plastic retail bags, which are also known as “T-shirt Bags” have a much lower carbon footprint than paper bags. According to the EPA, paper bags generate 70 percent more air pollutants and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags.

This article states that plastic bags consume 40 percent less energy and they produce and generate 80 percent less solid waste than paper bags. Plastic bags require less space to store. It would take eight truckloads of paper bags to match the number of bags that can be stored in one truckload of plastic bags.

The fact is, disposable retail plastic bags are reusable, and most city residents have plenty of uses for them. Many people keep the disposable plastic bags they receive from the store and use them to line trash cans in their kitchens and bathrooms. They take them outside to clean up after their pets, which is required by law in New York City.

Reduction of retail plastic bags through a fee should only be part of our overall environmental strategy. Reusable plastic or canvas bags will certainly play a larger role in the future, but they lack the convenience our society has come to rely on.

American shoppers are used to packing an average of five to ten grocery bags in their trunks when they go on shopping trips. Transporting groceries will be a lot more challenging if we only rely on reusable bags rather than the disposable bags that would be subject to the city’s fee.

With a little education and some common sense steps, more people would reuse and recycle plastic bags. For example, we should make it more convenient to recycle, by adding recycle stations and receptacles all over the city, just like we have done with plastic bottles.

For all these reasons, disposable plastic T-shirt bags aren’t going away any time soon. A more practical solution is to educate the public on their environmental impact and use these bags more responsibly. If your business is going to be subjected to the new sales tax by NYC, there are several different plastic bag options that you can chose from. We have several different styles and custom printing options. Contact us by filling out the Quote Request Form, sending us a direct email to sales@adartpolybag.com or give us a call at 516-932-1001. Please note, rush service is available on particular items; call to inquire.