Oregon Lawmakers Look at Banning Plastic Bags

The proposal would forbid plastic bags and add a fee for paper bags in 2012.

July 14, 2010

SALEM, Ore. - A state senator has proposed banning plastic bags in Oregon grocery and other retail locations, The Oregonian reports. State legislators have inked a deal to forbid disposable plastic bags in the state sometime in 2012, but it still needs the approval of the full legislature.

The measure would require every retailer to not stock plastic bags at checkout and to add a nickel fee for each paper bag. Retailers would be allowed to bank the paper bag fee. Backing the bill are state Sens. Mark Hass and Jason Atkinson, who sponsored the bill during the special February session.

"The theory is this should be a statewide solution as opposed to a crazy quilt of Portland, Corvallis and Tigard doing different things," said Hass. A draft of the bill has been finished.

Portland Mayor Sam Adams has been trying to lower plastic bag use since 2007. As a city commissioner two years ago, he talked about charging for plastic bags. A "Ban the Bag" coalition will rally at City Hall today to ask city officials to address the issue.

In neighboring California, the State Assembly passed a statewide ban on plastic bags. The state Senate is expected to vote on the bill by the end of August. AB 1998 would make retailers add a nickel per paper bag fee. The plastic bag ban would start with grocery and drug store chains in 2012 and expand to convenience and liquor stores and other small merchants in 2013.

Opponents of plastic bag bans point out that recycling efforts also reduce bag waste. "Over the last couple of years, you??ve seen an uptick in people using reusable bags, but at the same time, we??ve seen an uptick in the amount of (plastic) material being recycled," said Tim Shestek, director of state affairs for the American Chemistry Council. "Both can happen."

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