Ethan Clarke
Chicago has been working to reduce the use of plastic bags in the city since 2015, with varying levels of success. The city's plastic bag ban has been rolled out in phases, with larger chain stores being the first to stop providing thin, single-use plastic bags. The ban has since been extended to smaller stores, and there are now plans to increase the minimum thickness of plastic bags to make them too expensive to give out for free. While the ban has resulted in a decrease in plastic bag use, it has also led to an increase in the use of thicker plastic bags and paper bags, which are not environmentally friendly alternatives. To further encourage the use of reusable bags, Chicago introduced a checkout bag tax in 2017, which charges customers a small fee for each disposable bag they use.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic bags banned in Chicago | Yes |
| Date of implementation | 1st of August 2015 |
| Types of plastic bags banned | Thin, single-use plastic bags |
| Affected stores | Chain stores, smaller stores (less than 10,000 square feet) |
| Checkout bag tax | 7-cent tax on disposable paper and plastic bags |
| Impact on plastic bag usage | Decrease in plastic bag usage, but increase in thicker plastic bags |
| Environmental impact | Reduction in plastic bag litter, but overall environmental impact disputed |
| Effect on consumers | Increased use of reusable bags, but criticism for added cost and inconvenience |
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What You'll Learn
The plastic bag ban in Chicago has reduced plastic bag usage
Chicago implemented a partial ban on plastic bags in August 2015, becoming one of over 100 counties and municipalities across the nation to have enacted legislation to discourage or prohibit the distribution of single-use plastic bags. The ban applied to thin, single-use plastic bags, with stores providing alternatives like paper bags or thicker plastic bags meant to be reused.
The impact of the ban was mixed. On the one hand, there is evidence that plastic bag usage decreased. An independent grocer reported giving out 9,500 fewer plastic bags a week after the ban, according to the Illinois Retail Merchant Association. Tomas Vujovic, a recycling director at Waste Management, also observed fewer plastic bags.
However, the reduction in plastic bag usage may be attributed to a decrease in double-bagging rather than customers reusing bags. Additionally, the ban led to an increase in the use of paper bags, which cost more energy to manufacture than plastic bags. Furthermore, stores began providing thicker plastic bags, resulting in twice the amount of plastic being used per bag.
While the partial ban had some unintended consequences, Chicago's efforts to reduce plastic bag usage did not end there. In November 2016, the city repealed the ban, replacing it with a 7-cent fee on paper and plastic bags. This approach aims to encourage consumers to bring their own reusable bags, reducing the environmental impact of single-use bags.
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Critics say the ban hasn't helped the environment
Critics argue that Chicago's plastic bag ban has not helped the environment and, in some ways, has been detrimental. The ban, which came into effect in August 2015, applied only to thin, single-use plastic bags. As a result, stores started using bags that were four times thicker, which are meant to be reused but often aren't. This means that twice as much plastic is being used as before the ban. While there may be fewer plastic bags being distributed, the increase in thickness means more plastic is being used overall.
Some environmentalists and advocacy groups, such as Bring Your Bag Chicago, oppose the ban, arguing that it will create more problems than it solves. They claim that the ban is a "lose-lose for the environment and consumers", as it will lead to increased manufacturing and distribution costs, as well as more plastic ending up in landfills. Critics also point out that the ban doesn't address the issue of paper bags, which are not necessarily a more environmentally friendly alternative due to the energy and resources required to produce them.
In addition, the ban has been criticised for disproportionately impacting working families and seniors on fixed incomes, who may struggle to afford the thicker, reusable bags. The ban has also led to an increase in the purchase of plastic trash bags and paper bags, as consumers seek alternatives to single-use plastic bags. This runs counter to the intention of reducing plastic waste and helping the environment.
While there are some indications that consumer behaviour is changing, with anecdotal evidence of people bringing their own reusable bags, the overall impact of the ban has been mixed. Retailers have also faced increased costs for bagging supplies, and there has been a lack of compliance from some convenience and grocery stores. Ultimately, critics argue that the Chicago plastic bag ban has not achieved its intended environmental goals and may have even exacerbated the problems it sought to address.
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Retailers are charging for plastic bags
In Chicago, retailers charge customers a dime per plastic bag, and most of that money goes to the city. The city had initially projected that the fee would bring in $9.2 million in revenue, but the tax only raised $5.6 million in the first year. The charge is referred to as the "check-out bag tax" and applies to all Chicago retailers, not just large grocery chains. The tax applies to both paper and plastic bags. All shoppers who don't bring their own bags are charged 7 cents for each paper or plastic bag at checkout. Five cents go to the city, and 2 cents go to the retailer. The tax is intended to encourage consumers to use reusable bags.
The bag tax was implemented after the city repealed its plastic bag ban in 2016. The ban, which applied to thin, single-use plastic bags, had been in effect since August 2015. However, it was found to have some unintended consequences, such as an increase in the use of thicker plastic bags, which cost more to produce and were not being reused. The ban also led to an increase in the use of paper bags, which are less likely to end up in waterways but require more energy to manufacture than plastic bags.
After the ban was lifted, Chicago followed the example of other cities that had chosen to impose a fee on plastic bags to reduce their use. The idea behind the fee is that even a small charge can make people think twice about the environmental impact of their actions and encourage them to bring their own reusable bags. While some critics argue that bag taxes and bans negatively impact families on fixed incomes, supporters claim that they can effectively reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills and waterways.
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Some retailers are giving out thicker plastic bags
Chicago's plastic bag ban, which came into effect in 2015, has had some unintended consequences. The ban only applied to thin, single-use plastic bags, and as a result, many retailers started providing customers with thicker plastic bags. These thicker bags are meant to be reused but often aren't, and they can be just as harmful to the environment as the thinner bags. In fact, because they use more plastic, they may be even more environmentally damaging.
The thicker bags also defeat the purpose of the ban, which was to reduce the amount of plastic waste in the city. Before the ban, Chicagoans were using an average of 500 one-use plastic bags per year. While the ban has led to a decrease in the overall number of plastic bags being used, with some stores reporting a "significant decrease", it has also resulted in an increase in the use of paper bags, which are not necessarily a more environmentally friendly alternative.
Some retailers have tried to address this issue by charging customers a small fee for each plastic bag they use. This fee, known as a checkout bag tax, is meant to encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags. The tax, which went into effect in 2017, does not apply to families in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or to restaurants. Most of the money raised through the fee goes to the city to fund community groups that educate consumers about reusable bags and clean up waterways.
Despite these efforts, some retailers continue to provide thicker plastic bags, and many customers are not changing their habits. This has led to criticism of the ban, with some arguing that it has not been effective in reducing plastic waste and may even be making the problem worse. There have been calls for additional measures to be put in place, such as increasing the minimum thickness of plastic bags to make them too expensive for stores to hand out for free.
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Reusable bags are being encouraged
Chicago has been working towards reducing the use of plastic bags for several years. In 2015, the city implemented a ban on thin, single-use plastic bags, which was later extended to smaller stores in 2016. However, this ban did not include all plastic bags, and many retailers simply switched to providing thicker plastic bags, which often weren't reused.
To address this issue, Chicago introduced a checkout bag tax in 2017, which charges a 7-cent tax on each disposable paper and plastic bag given out by retailers. This tax is intended to encourage shoppers to bring their own reusable bags, reducing the number of single-use bags in the environment. The tax has been shown to be effective, with an increase in the use of reusable bags in Chicago since its implementation.
The city of Chicago and various advocacy groups are also working to educate consumers about the importance of reusable bags and how to make the switch. For example, the group Bring Your Bag Chicago hopes to secure funding for a study that would research how Chicagoans use single-use and reusable bags, in order to inform policy and education efforts. Additionally, some retailers, such as Jewel-Osco, are encouraging customers to bring reusable bags and providing recycling options for plastic bags.
While there has been progress in reducing plastic bag usage, some critics argue that the current measures don't go far enough. There have been discussions about implementing additional restrictions, such as outright banning single-use plastic bags or increasing the thickness required for plastic bags, to further discourage their use.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Chicago banned thin, single-use plastic bags in 2015.
The ban was implemented to reduce the amount of trash and litter generated by disposable bags.
Retailers are encouraged to market their business with reusable bags. Stores are also required to establish recycling programs and make reusable bags available for sale.
The ban has led to a decrease in the number of plastic bags being used and distributed by stores. However, some retailers have started providing thicker plastic bags that are meant to be reused but often aren't, which has led to an increase in plastic usage.
The checkout bag tax, which charges a fee for each disposable bag, does not apply to families in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or restaurants.
