Press Room

Bag bill draws national attention:
Sides argue ecological impact of paper, plastic

By NICOLE YOUNG, Staff Writer

Annapolis moved one step closer to having the toughest plastic grocery bag regulations in the country last night as more than 25 residents and people from various organizations spoke on both sides of the proposed ban.

With the dividing line as thin as a bag itself, those speaking about the bill - proposed earlier this month by Alderman Sam Shropshire, D-Ward 7 - addressed the themes of environmental quality and economics.

"The issue is what's best for the city," Mr. Shropshire said to the packed City Council chambers. "It's meant from my heart and it's about the quality of life for Annapolitans."

His bill would prohibit the distribution of plastic bags by all grocers, retailers and restaurants, with fines as high as $500 for repeat violators, while calling for only recyclable paper bags or reusable bags. The move is an attempt to help save the environment, he said.

The bill has put Annapolis in the national spotlight.

Last night's hearing attracted a reporter and photographer from The New York Times, and even Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of Jacques Cousteau and director of the Washington-based environmental education group EarthEcho.

Although other cities have banned plastic bags, passage of the Annapolis bill would create the strictest regulations in the nation. San Francisco was the first to ban the bags, though only in larger retailers.

Numerous other cities, including Baltimore, Boston, Phoenix and Portland, Ore., are considering similar measures.

Following a brief work session on the topic before the council meeting, the aldermen listened to a debate that everyone agreed was needed. It was the manner of solving the problems of litter from these bags that differed, however.

Several local environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Washington Audubon Society, urged the aldermen to lead the nation in plastic-bag-banning efforts.

"While the manufacture and use of paper bags certainly has its environmental drawbacks, our proximity to the water clearly tips the scale toward paper as less damaging to the environment," said David Prosten, chairman of the Anne Arundel Sierra Club. "Plastic bags are littering area creeks, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay in huge numbers, causing damage to aquatic growth and death of all sorts of marine life."

Opponents of the bill, including the Progressive Bag Alliance, however, contend that paper bags are much worse for the environment than the plastic in question.

"Plastic bags take less energy to produce, and paper bags generate about 70 percent more emissions and 50 percent more water pollutants," said Donna Dempsey, spokesman for the alliance. "While we applaud him for trying to make Annapolis more sustainable, this is absolutely going in the wrong direction as far as the environment goes."

Ms. Dempsey said the ban would act as a "backhanded tax," increasing prices of the goods. A better approach would be to increase plastic-bag recycling efforts by making it easier for people to return their plastic bags, she said.

On average, plastic bags cost merchants about 2.2 cents per bag, while paper bags cost about 5.7 cents and paper bags with handles are about 17.6 cents. Representatives from major grocery stores Safeway and Giant said more than 95 percent of customers use the plastic bags.

Others opponents of the bill, including Bruce Bereano, an Annapolis lobbyist representing Safeway, said it's a matter of educating the public against littering and enforcing current litter laws, not simply banning one type of bag.

Some aldermen are keeping an open mind on the topic, but are asking for more time and more careful study of the information provided before coming to a vote in September. The ban would take effect six months after its passage.

But some, like Alderman David Cordle, R-Ward 5, insist the time and effort of the council should be spent on fighting crime and other problems plaguing the city.

"There are as many environmental arguments for it as there are against it," he said. "But we have a big crime problem in Annapolis, and violence on our streets."

Published June 24, 2007, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Copyright © 2007 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.