Beacon Hill Plastic Ban

Beacon Hill is currently debating a bill that would make it illegal to use plastic shopping bags. The bill is intended to protect the environment by having consumers use reusable shopping bags and refrain from plastic and paper. Provisions of the bill would call for a nonrefundable 10-cent fee for every paper or plastic bag used until August 19. The money will be kept by the store.

This legislation is well-intended but it will not solve all of the problems. I ask for paper bags when I go shopping and recycle the paper bags. There are times I will ask for plastic bags and that is when there is nothing to line the wastebaskets in my house. I reuse the plastic shopping bags. They can come in handy.

It is also less plastic being used. Reusing the plastic bags means you are not buying more plastic bags for trash. There are people who use the plastic bags for trash bags in their homes and their cars. They are used for diaper bags. They are used for transporting things when they travel. Some people even use them for lunch bags. Getting rid of the plastic bags is well-intended but it will open doors for more plastic products to be consumed.

I understand the fee. It is meant to get people to use reusable bags but why not have more recycling services instead of literally nickel and diming people who are shopping. Give people more of an incentive to recycle and reuse instead of looking for another way to cost them money.