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Evan Yang

Mrs. Feldman

ELA

9 February 2024

Plastic Bag Fees Are Not The Way To Go

The United States has created over 2.4 million kilograms of plastic bag pollution in

oceans in the past few years. Plastic bag fees have become a popular policy tool aimed at

reducing environmental harm caused by single-use plastics. This fee has been used in many

States around the US, including the capital, but were usually quickly rejected. The

implementation of plastic bag fees is not practical because it can impose additional financial

burdens on low-budget consumers, as well as being ineffective in minimizing the use of plastic

bags for those who have sustainable funds, and are actually counterintuitive for the environment.

While plastic bag fees do try to deter consumers from using them, the fees are nominal to

most people, and just makes a few cents difference while shopping. For example, according to

Lee Califf, who is the executive director at the American Progressive Bag Alliance, wrote in the

September 2016 Junior Scholastic magazine, “A recent study suggests that the total number of

plastic bags used in Washington, D.C., has actually increased since 2010, when a 5-cent fee went

into effect” (Califf). Plastic bag fees often fail to achieve the desired reduction in plastic

consumption, therefore, the minimal impact of plastic bag fees underscores their ineffectiveness

as a standalone solution for addressing plastic pollution. Even though these fees might prove to

be ineffective for most people, imposing fees may penalize individuals who rely on these bags

out of a necessity, potentially exacerbating financial strain. This is largely targeting a single

group of people, which is an entirely insensitive method of reducing pollution.

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Furthermore, plastic bag fees are not a necessary solution to addressing environmental

concerns surrounding plastic pollution. Research indicates that alternative products, such as

reusable bags, may not always offer a more sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bags

because they can be more recyclable. For instance, thick plastic reusable bags, often imported

from countries like China, are frequently touted as eco-friendly options. However, these bags are

typically made from oil-derived materials and lack recyclability, contributing to waste

accumulation in landfills (Califf). Therefore, implementing plastic bag fees to encourage the

adoption of reusable bags may inadvertently promote the use of less sustainable alternatives,

thereby undermining efforts to mitigate environmental harm caused by plastic pollution.

On the other hand, plastic bag fees are shown to have some effectiveness to a certain

degree. According to Brad Lander, in the article, “Should There Be a Fee on Plastic Bags?,”

states, “Some experts predict that a 5-cent fee will lead to a 60 to 90 percent reduction in the use

of plastic bags in New York City” (Lander). Even if the 5-cent bag fee will drop usage

substantially, we must note that it is targeting a large low-income population. While plastic bag

fees can reduce plastic bag usage, it is not an optimal solution to this problem. Califf wrote, “To

achieve real, sustainable environmental progress, we need to focus on proven programs that

encourage all citizens to reuse and recycle plastic bags.” Penalizing plastic bag users is not a

helpful method to reduce plastic waste in the environment, while rewarding people better

encourages reuse and recycle.

Plastic bag fees raises concerns for the ability to actually be able to limit usage of plastic

bags, mulct lower income individuals, and might actually be harmful for the environment. Even

though plastic bags may reduce plastic bag pollution, it relies on certain people who can’t afford

to pay the fee. Instead of relying solely on measures like plastic bag fees, it is essential to

implement programs that incentivize all citizens to adopt more environmentally friendly
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practices such as reuse and recycling. By focusing on proven strategies that encourage

sustainable behaviors, we can work towards mitigating the environmental impact of plastic

pollution in a more effective and equitable manner.

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Works Cited

"Does California Need Another Plastic Bag Ban? Probably." Los Angeles Times, 09/05 2023.

ProQuest; SIRS Issues Researcher, https://proxy.openathens.net/login?entityID=https://n

idp.wa.galileo.usg.edu/entity&qurl=https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/

document/2879400776?accountid=3439.

Lander, Brad, and Califf, Lee. “Should There Be a Fee for Plastic Bags?” EBSCOhost, Junior

Scholastic, 9 November 2017, https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?

id=c1936123-9b1f-3d4e-836b-bafe37214bfd. Accessed 9 February 2024.