Single-use plastic bag ban in City (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: how much, neighborhood, living in)

[tyovan4]

The legislation, introduced by Councilwoman Erika Strassburger on Monday, would ban plastic bags in most instances. Rather than using the standard plastic grocery bags, shoppers would need to bring their own reusable bags or, if they don’t have one, retailers would instead have to offer a recyclable paper bag for a fee of at least 15 cents, according to the proposed legislation.

https://triblive.com/local/proposal-...in-most-cases/

Pittsburgh City Council - always tackling the important issues...

[svband76]

I am all for eliminating plastic bags, but what business does the city have by making retailers charge customers at least 15c a bag? I'd be all against that. More government intrusion. This would certainly have an effect on profits. Jeesh, let the businesses decide how to handle the situation.

[gg]

I’m all for it as places like Walmart and Giant Eagle put like two things in a plastic bag and go onto the next bag, so you have a ton of bags. Bring it on.

[Cranberrymart]

Agreed! Employees just aren't taught to bag groceries anymore. Such waste.

[Mtl-Cns]

I have two conflicting thoughts on this:

1) They aren't really single use to me; I reuse all of them to scoop my cat litter.

2) Living in Lawrenceville, it's amazing how much plastic (amongst other litter) congregates in the gutters and along the sidewalk. Spending a lot of time down by the Allegheny, I see a ton of plastic bags that eventually end up in the sewer system that eventually end up in the rivers or along their banks.

If people could take some personal responsibility to not litter and/or to pick up litter and plastic that end up in front of their properties, maybe such a ban would be unnecessary. But Pittsburgh is riddled with such litter and I can't see that changing anytime soon. So may as well make the litter more biodegradable I guess.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by svband76

what business does the city have by making retailers charge customers at least 15c a bag?

I am surprised that the city council decided that. Grocery Stores in Philadelphia seem to have settled on 10 cents a bag.

Target and Walmart gave away as many cheap reusable canvas bags as you wanted in the lead up to the ban. Basically just everywhere carries the reusable bags now for a dollar or two.

The ban is a good thing and it's hilarious the state legislation tried to ban the bans for 'economic' reasons aka a plastic bag factory in Juniata County. Someone must have whispered in their ears and told them that was a third world move because Harrisburg has dropped efforts to stop any ban.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Mtl-Cns

I have two conflicting thoughts on this:

1) They aren't really single use to me; I reuse all of them to scoop my cat litter.

2) Living in Lawrenceville, it's amazing how much plastic (amongst other litter) congregates in the gutters and along the sidewalk. Spending a lot of time down by the Allegheny, I see a ton of plastic bags that eventually end up in the sewer system that eventually end up in the rivers or along their banks.

If people could take some personal responsibility to not litter and/or to pick up litter and plastic that end up in front of their properties, maybe such a ban would be unnecessary. But Pittsburgh is riddled with such litter and I can't see that changing anytime soon. So may as well make the litter more biodegradable I guess.

"If people could take some personal responsibility". I almost spilled my coffee laughing so hard. Thanks. The bar of humanity is getting lower and lower as we cater to the lowest common denominator of human life instead of striving for greatness.

I think the ban would be good. It would hit the areas of poverty the most as they are filled with debris and might clean it up a little over like 5 years or so and that would be a benefit to them in the long run.

[Charley Barker]

In spring I look forward to the leaves breaking bud and renewing my hope for the world; in fall I dread the blue and white and grey bags that hang all winter on the branches until the leaves emerge again. It's a bad look for the city, and, sadly, pretty much pervasive everywhere they are still used across the US.

[szug-bot]

they might not have put enough thought into it.

like another here, i use mine again and again. often, its to carry a fresh shirt and socks (in the summer, for instance).

ultimately, i use them for the garbage i generate. think about it - take these away, then what do i use for my weekly garbage? me and thousands of others who are single household people who do not need large size, Hefty type bags just because we are socially conscious people who minimize waste?

heres the answer - a Hefty bag! 10x more poly-whatevers in that product.

cant go to paper - that is sloppy, messy, encourages vermin after being put out to the street for pickup...

rather than legislation, how about education?

[SteelCityRising]

I routinely pick up litter in my neighborhood. Within days it looks like defecation again, and plastic bags comprise a lot of this litter. If Pittsburghers weren't such pigs I would have no issues with plastic bags. Since so many end up in our storm drains and rivers and curb lines, though, I am in approval of this ban.