WASHINGTON, D.C. In most parts of the U.S., retailers give shoppers free paper or plastic bags for carrying their items. But since January 2010, people in Washington, D.C., have had to pay for these bags. How much? Five cents for each bag.


The law is the first of its kind in the United States. The five-cent tax must be collected by every Washington, D.C., store that sells food items. This includes supermarkets, convenience stores, and even some bookstores and gift shops. Leaders want shoppers to use fewer throw-away bags. Using fewer bags cuts down on litter, pollution, and waste.



All throw-away bags are harmful to the environment. But plastic is particularly bad. Making the bags uses energy. This creates air pollution. Throwing away the bags is also a problem. Americans threw away about 13 million tons of plastic waste in 2008. This included bags, sacks, and wraps. Only 1 percent of this plastic waste was recycled. The rest likely wound up in landfills, on the ground, or even in the oceans. Plastic bags don't just disappear. That's because they're not biodegradable. Instead, they break apart into very small harmful bits. These poison both soil and water. Eventually they get into the food chain and animals eat them.


How do people feel about the new law? Some people don't like it. They say that charging money for bags is unfair.


"I think [a tax on bags] unnecessary," said Daniel Koroma. He was carrying groceries home from a supermarket. They were in a plastic bag for which he'd paid a tax. "[Stores] sell you the groceries, [so] they should give you something to put them in."


Other people in the city are using reusable shopping bags. The reusable bags are made of materials that don't harm the environment. And they can be used again and again. Twana Littlejohn uses reusable bags. She said she feels good knowing that she's doing something good for the planet.


"I've stocked reusable bags in my car so whenever I go shopping, I just have to pull one out," Littlejohn said. "It's not hard."


Littlejohn runs a Starbucks coffee shop. She says that the law has changed things at her shop. She has seen a drop in the number of customers who ask for paper sacks. That saves the store money.


"I'm not giving out as many anymore," Littlejohn said. "I'm cutting down on my paper costs."


In Washington, D.C., lawmakers believe they will benefit from the law. They expect to take in about $3.6 million in the first year that the law is in place. This amount may go down in the future. But that's OK. It will mean that fewer people are using throw-away bags.

Information for this story came from AP.



Think about the new law in Washington, D.C. Shoppers must pay a tax for throw-away bags. Do you think this was the best thing to do? Explain.


Use facts from the news story to back up your answer. You can use ideas of your own, too.


Write your answer in the box below.

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