In the future, Maryland consumers in Montgomery County could forget about plastic bags at the grocery store. Those will be banned — with some exceptions — if a new bill passes the council this week.
Under the “Bring Your Own Bag” bill, if customers want a paper bag, they’ll pay 10 cents per bag — double the rate they now pay if they don’t opt to bring their own reusable bags to the store.
Montgomery County Council Vice President Kate Stewart, one of the sponsors of the proposal, said it was born out of two things: the failure of the county to track and collect the taxes owed by retailers under the current system, and the desire to make it worthwhile for retailers to adhere to the regulation which, ultimately, is aimed at keeping plastic bags from ending up as litter.
Under the county’s current laws, retailers charge 5 cents for plastic bags. Four cents go to the county for its Water Quality Protection Charge fund, and one penny goes to retailers.
Stewart cited the Montgomery County Inspector General’s report from June of 2023 which found that the county lost out on a potential $8.2 million in revenue because of its failure to enforce the plastic bag tax. That report found that many businesses didn’t collect or remit the tax, and that the county didn’t have an efficient way to track the businesses that never paid or remitted the tax.
“A lot of other jurisdictions have been moving a lot further ahead and have been making real progress in encouraging people to bring their own bags, in reducing the amount of plastic bags that are out there in our waterways and our public areas,” Stewart told WTOP of reducing plastic bag waste.
She added that other counties were successful in banning plastic bags and imposing the 10-cent tax on paper bags.
Regarding the 10-cent tax for paper bags, Stewart said it’s intended to provide an incentive to retailers.
“We want to compensate them more for following this program and so instead of the one cent, they’ll get five cents back,” she said.
Stewart also said the efforts to reduce plastic bag waste are a matter of public health. Microplastics that leach into water and soil “really does have an impact on our health.”
Under the proposed bill, retailers could give plastic bags or paper bags — without the fee — to customers for the purchase of perishables like meats, prescription drugs and dry-cleaning items. Plastic bags would also be allowed for newspapers and certain mailers.
Exceptions to the 10-cent tax for paper bags would include bags for restaurant leftovers, food deliveries or orders from fast food restaurants.
Retailers who violate the proposed legislation would first get a warning, then face escalated fines, from $500 for a second violation to $750 and potential legal action.
When asked what is being done to make sure that the county doesn’t lose out again on revenue it should be collecting, Stewart said the increased amount that retailers could keep when charging for bags — 5 cents versus one penny — should help, along with changing the reporting requirements. Instead of having to file each month, retailers would file on a quarterly schedule.
“And that was recommended in the Inspector General’s report,” she said.
The proposal introduced during this week’s Montgomery County Council session is similar to the one in effect in Anne Arundel County. Other jurisdictions have plastic bags, like Takoma Park, Annapolis, Frederick and Baltimore City. Prince George’s and Baltimore counties also ban plastic bags.
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