Chicago'splasticbagbanisastepbackincleancityefforts

By:NicholasSposatoandRoderickSawyer
May14,2014
Recently,theChicagoCityCounciltookamajorstepbackineffortstobothsupportoureconomyandprotectthe
environment.Overtheobjectionsof10aldermen,theCityCouncilpassedabanonplasticbagsthateffectively
amountstoataxonChicago'sworkingfamiliesandbusinesses.Moreover,thebanispremisedonenvironmental
argumentsthathavelittletonobasisinfact.
Allinall,thisisdeeplyflawedlegislation.Chicagoshouldabandonthismistakeandinsteadoptforacomprehensive
andeffectiverecyclingprogram.
Theproblemhereisthatpaperbagsaremuchmoreexpensivethanplasticbags,andmanyofthebusinesseswe
haveheardfromonthislegislationareconcernedbytheaddedcoststhatswitchingtopaperwillimpose.These
businesseswillhavetoabsorbthelargelossesthataswitchwillcause,therebysacrificingtheirabilitytogrowand
employmoreChicagoans.Weknowfrombusinesseselsewherethatthecostsofadjustingtothiskindoflegislation
bantotalasmuchas$1million.
Iftheychoosenottoabsorbtheloss,theywillbeforcedtopassthecostontoworkingfamiliesatcheckout.Adding
coststogrocerybillsisaseriousmistake,especiallywhenmanyChicagofamiliesstruggletoputfoodonthetableas
itis.Buttheeconomicimpactsofthislegislationonworkingfamiliesdonotstopthere,because3,000peopleinIllinois
manyrighthereinChicagomaketheirlivingintheplasticbagindustry.IfChicagoleadsIllinoisdownthis
misguidedpath,manyofthesehardworkingpeoplewillsurelylosetheirjobs.
Thesecostswillallbefornothing,becausethislegislationwilldonothingtoactuallyhelptheenvironment.Chicago's
ownstudyacknowledgedthatplasticbagsareaminisculepercentage(0.8percent)ofthecity'stotalwastestream,
andstudiescontinuetoshowthatplasticbagsaretraditionallylessthan1percentoflitterincitieslikeChicago.
SinglingoutoneproductwilldoabsolutelynothingtoreduceChicago'slitterorwasteinameaningfulway.
WENEEDASTRATEGY
Ifwewanttotrulyaffecttheenvironment,weneedtobeginwithacomprehensiveenvironmentalstrategy.This
requirespromotingrecyclingsothatsomanyofthebluecartsinourneighborhoodsdon'tcontinuetogounusedor
misused.Weneedtoinvestinmakingourtransitstationssaferandmoreusablesothatwecantrulyreducethe
numberofdriversonourroads.Thesesortsofplanswouldstrengthenoureconomiesaswellasourenvironmentsby
makingbeingagoodstewardofourenvironmentapositiverelationshipratherthanonemorepunitivestep.
Chicagoisknownforcreatingreasonableandsoundapproachestopolicyproblems.Wewholeheartedlyagreewith
thegoalofmakingChicagothecleanestcityintheUnitedStatesandbelievethatthewaytodothatistomakeserious
investmentsinacomprehensiverecyclingsolution.Recyclingsolvesthewasteandlitterproblemforplasticbagsand
otherproducts,andwouldemployplentyofpeopleinanenvironmentallysustainablesectorofthemanufacturing
economy.
RecyclingisthekindofsolutionthatChicagoshouldbeknownforandthatwecanallrallyaround:Itisserious,
reasonableandeffective.Incontrast,thebanwejustpassedisanembarrassingandharmfulmistake.Chicagocando
better.
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NicholasSposatoisaldermanofChicago's36thWard.RoderickSawyerisaldermanofChicago's6thWard.
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