After gathering public input from numerous stakeholders and organizations, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) yesterday released its report on the need for new or different regulation of retail bags to Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Legislature.
The report provides an assessment of the impacts associated with current use and disposal of retail bags as well as an analysis of potential options that seek to reduce single-use bags and encourage the use of reusable bags.
Currently in Florida, 88 percent of plastic bags and 63 percent of paper bags are thrown away rather than recycled which can harm our natural resources, said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. The report provides a host of options to improve those numbers and by working together, the retail industry and government, we can achieve that goal.
Almost every retail establishment provides bags for its customers and studies show that Americans used almost 90 billion bags in 2003. The report explains how improperly discarded plastic bags can affect wildlife, marine life, landfill operation and flood control systems and explores the various approaches that other states and counties have taken to address this issue.
The report also identifies and recognizes the efforts many retailers are already implementing to promote the use of reusable bags. Efforts underway include:
* Nationwide, Walmart has committed to reducing plastic bag usage in its stores by 25 percent per store by 2013.
* Albertsons gives customers five cents back on their purchase for every non-plastic bag used.
* In November 2009, Target launched a program that gives customers a five-cent discount for every reusable bag used at checkout.
* In October 2009, CVS customers began to receive a one dollar bonus on their CVS cards for every four times a reusable bag is used.
* Publix, Food Lion, and Walmart all offer in-store or on-premises plastic bag recycling receptacles for customers.
The next step in the process is for the Legislature to consider the options during the 2010 legislative session.
