Image via Flickr: eflon
It has been just over a month since Washington DC began implementing their plastic bag tax, and Oregon may soon be doing something similar.
On Monday, Senator Mark Hass D-Beaverton introduced Senate Bill 1009 to the floor, which would outlaw single-use plastic bags at checkout. While the bill has been called a long shot for this session, Hass hopes that it will lead to a victory for environmentalists throughout the state. According to the Oregonian, Hass said:
“I don’t think people understand the true cost of these bags.”
He went on to add that single-use plastic bags are rarely recycled, contribute to litter, are harmful to marine life and are made from fossil fuels.
Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney is open to the idea. In a news release, he noted:
“If Sen. Hass and industry representatives can find a path together then the door is open for this measure to move ahead.”
But not everyone is keen on the idea. Ironically enough, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is concerned about the impact of producing more paper bags. They suggest that paper bags result in greater nonrenewable energy and water consumption, as well as emissions and acid rain.
[Via: Oregonian]
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