Pittsburgh poised to adopt ban on plastic grocery bags

Pittsburgh City Council on Wednesday advanced a measure to ban plastic grocery bags, after amending the legislation to drop the costs of paper bags for low-income individuals.

The legislation, introduced by Councilwoman Erika Strassburger in November, would ban single-use plastic bags in most instances. Shoppers would instead have to bring a reusable bag or pay a fee for recyclable paper bags.

City Council on Wednesday tweaked the proposal to drop the charge for paper bags from 15 cents to 10 cents. The money would go to the retailer to offset to higher cost of paper bags, Strassburger said. A plastic bag costs about 2 cents, while paper bags cost about 8 cents per bag, she said.

People participating in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would not be charged the extra fee for paper bags.

The amendment also would delay implementation of the bag ban for one year, giving businesses and customers time to prepare for it talking effect, Strassburger said. The city would use the time to educate people about the measure, find funding to provide reusable bags to residents and retailers, and develop plans for enforcement.

“It is about public health,” Strassburger said of the measure. “It is about pride in our neighborhoods and reducing sources of litter. It is about thinking about a new way of doing business, and challenging business owners to use their entrepreneurial spirit to do business in a different way.”

She acknowledged the change may feel “a little bit uncomfortable, especially when we’ve been accustomed to convenience,” but said she feels the measure is necessary to ensure the city is doing its part to curb the environmental impacts of plastic bags.

Several experts have voiced support for the measure.

“This ordinance is critically important, because Pittsburgh businesses hand out nearly 110 million plastic bags every year,” said Ashleigh Deemer, deputy director of PennEnvironment, a statewide environmental advocacy group that backs the legislation.

She referenced studies showing that microplastics, which can come from plastic bags, are prevalent in Pennsylvania waterways.

“Nothing we use for just a few minutes should have such a harmful and lasting impact on our environment, our communities and our health,” Deemer said, calling the proposed ordinance one of the most comprehensive plastic bag bans in the nation.

“This is a win-win-win,” said Logan Welde, a staff attorney and director of legislative affairs for the Clean Air Council. “Businesses win, communities win and the environment wins when you pass this piece of legislation.”

Zachary Taylor, director of the American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance, was the only person to oppose the measure at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. He argued that plastic grocery bags “do not account for meaningful portions of litter and waste,” and banning them wouldn’t have the impact council members are hoping for.

He cited a survey of litter across Pennsylvania found that plastic grocery bags accounted for less than 1% of litter, and studies showing up to 77% of single-use plastic bags are actually reused.

“As families face higher grocery bills week after week, the proposal to establish a business-retained tax on paper bags and ban Pennsylvania-made recyclable grocery bags is tone deaf,” Taylor said.

In a preliminary vote Wednesday, City Council unanimously voted to advance the measure. Council President Theresa Kail-Smith was not present.

While the legislation bans most single-use plastic bags, it does allow exceptions for produce bags, meat packaging, pharmacy bags and bags used to wrap flowers and similar items. Garbage bags and pet waste bags are also exempt.

City Council is expected to take a final vote on the measure next week.