Statement

Seattle Mayor's Proposal Counters National Recycling Trend Bag Tax, Product Ban Risk the Environment

Arlington, Va. (April 4, 2008)  – The proposals announced today by Mayor Nickels and City Council President Conlin to tax Seattle for using popular grocery bags and ban plastic foam food containers will have negative consequences on the local environment, the economy and the school system. 

Plastic recycling is a superior alternative for the environment and for the community’s economic health. The American Chemistry Council encourages the City of Seattle to join a growing number of cities and states by supporting plastic recycling programs for bags and food containers.
   
Plastic bags are a good choice for the environment.  It takes less than half of the energy to make them than typical alternatives, and likewise, they generate less than half the greenhouse gases of typical alternatives.  Increased recycling is the answer.  “We are seeing a trend for municipalities nationwide to creatively employ existing resources to reduce waste, improve sustainability and achieve broader environmental goals,” said Sharon Kneiss, vice president of ACC’s Products Division. “Across the nation, from California to New York City, progressive leaders are choosing plastic bag recycling because it makes sense for the environment and the economy.”

Furthermore, bag fees will not work: 

• The tax on plastic bags in Ireland reduced plastic grocery bag use by 90% but increased overall plastic use by 400% as residents purchased new plastic bags instead of reusing grocery bags. (PIFA/Kidwell Associates 2004).
• Retailers in Ireland report the loss of 450 wire baskets and carts per month by retailer on average – a loss of about 24 million euros (about $39 million USD) annually.
• The tax has led to a significant increase in ‘push outs’ (shoppers filling their carts and walking straight out without paying) at a cost to retailers of 10 million euros ($17.2 million USD) annually.

Many schools and cafeterias in California and Oregon are already recycling polystyrene food service containers.  Polystyrene food service containers save the city of Seattle millions of dollars providing low cost lunches for schools and while leaving a lighter environmental footprint than heavier non-recycled and non-composted alternatives.

Polystyrene foodservice packaging offers significant environmental benefits over alternative products, including lower energy use to make the packaging and generation of fewer greenhouse gases.  The Council welcomes the opportunity to work with Seattle on expanding recycling opportunities for polystyrene foodservice packaging since successful potential programs have already been identified.

Plastic recycling is the new environmental policy trend in communities across the nation.  In 2006, the U.S. set a record for plastic bag and film recycling with a 24% increase in just one year. Last year, a statewide law went into effect in California to provide at-store plastic bag recycling in every community.  In January 2008, New York City signed into law the most sweeping plastic bag recycling law of any major metro region in the country, with at least 2,000 stores offering recycling beginning this July.  April 2, 2008, the City of Austin launched an ambitious recycling program with the cooperation of environmentalists, retailers and the bag industry. Recycling -- not bans and taxes -- are clearly being chosen as U.S. policy makers recognize that plastics are a valuable resource that is too valuable to waste.

Learn more about plastics.

The Progressive Bag Affiliates (PBA) . of the American Chemistry Council promotes the responsible use and recycling of plastic bags. The PBA recycling toolkit is being used by retailers around the nation as a reference for determining the best ways to deploy effective recycling solutions in stores. For more information, please visit www.plasticbagrecycling.org .