A COMMON grocery item could be banned soon at stores in one state.
Failure to adhere to it could also result in fees for consumers.
Shoppers in one state could soon see a ban on an essential item (stock image)[/caption]
Legislation has been proposed to get rid of the item soon (stock image)[/caption]
Should Pennsylvania decide to go through with the ban, which applies to all single-use plastic bags at retailers and businesses, it certainly wouldn’t be the first state to do it.
There are currently 12 that have it in place, per Route Fifty.
They include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
California was the first do it in 2016.
Pennsylvania may make itself the 13th soon, according to the Franklin County Free Press.
Senator Judith Schwank (D) has proposed legislation to make the plastic bag ban a reality and is seeking some cosponsors.
Retailers would be completely prohibited from providing single-use plastic bags at point-of-sale areas.
Additionally, recyclable paper bags would be available for a small fee, but exceptions to the fee would be made for items like produce, frozen foods, and prescriptions.
TEENS PROPOSAL
An “educational component” would also be included in the bill, managed by the Department of Community and Economic Development.
Schwank told legislators that the proposal stemmed from students at Governor Mifflin High School in Shillington, about 61 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
It’s important to note that there are already 40 local plastic bag bans in the state, mostly around Philadelphia.
Around 2.6 million residents are affected, and estimates from the areas note reductions of about 950 million plastic bags since 2018.
At least 200 million reductions are from Philadelphia alone, according to report from Environment America.
The proposed statewide bill seeks to further those environmentally-conscious efforts.
Which states have single-use plastic bag bans?
Several states have enforced strict rules against retailer handing out these bags to shoppers.
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Maine
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
Source: World Economic Forum
Fees on alternative bag options would also be in place as a way to encourage consumers in Pennsylvania to bring their own reusable options.
There is still opposition to the bill, and it’s unclear exactly when it would take full effect if passed.
ALDI’S EFFORTS
Some individual retailers are also making plastic bag efforts of their own despite state and local laws.
Aldi, for example, became the first major store in the United States to eliminate plastic bags at stores in January 2024.
It originally made the pledge to get rid of them entirely in 2022, and is still making its way to natural refrigerants at its over 2,500 locations by 2035.
“Eliminating plastic shopping bags from our stores and transitioning to environmentally friendly refrigerant systems not only help us protect the environment, but they also help reduce costs which we then pass on to our customers,” Jason Hart, Aldi US chief executive officer, noted in a statement.
“As one of America’s fastest-growing retailers, we take our responsibility to lead the industry in sustainability seriously, so our customers don’t have to choose between shopping responsibly and saving money.”
Aldi also has a small fee of around 12 cents for paper bags.
Michigan is another state exploring plastic bans this year.
