PAPER OR PLASTIC IS NO LONGER THE QUESTION

Plastic shopping bags: Oregon has become the latest state to enforce a statewide legislation ban addressing this chronic source of plastic pollution.

The Sustainable Shopping Initiative (House Bill 2509), was passed by legislators on June 20, 2019, and signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown. Effective on Jan. 1, the new law prohibits retail stores, restaurants, and farmers markets from providing single-use checkout bags to customers and puts restrictions on other checkout bags that they may provide.

A retail store or restaurant may now provide only reusable or recycled paper (bags made from recycled paper products) checkout bags to customers.

In certain cases, businesses must charge a fee to customers for providing the bag. For consumers who do not bring reusable bags, HB 2509 requires a minimum charge of 5 cents for the checkout bags. This includes both paper bags and thicker, reusable plastic bags. It also allows local governments (cities or counties) to enforce higher fees locally. Businesses will keep the fees.

The reason for the fees is to counterbalance the cost of paper and reusable plastic bags, which are more expensive than typical plastic carryout bags. The goal is not to increase the use of paper bags, but to encourage consumers to bring their own reusable bags.  

A critical exception: Some stores and restaurants may provide recycled paper checkout bags or reusable plastic checkout bags for free to customers using a WIC voucher or electronic benefits transfer card, previously known as food stamps. This can vary depending on the store or restaurant, and location. HB 2509 repeals the ORS 459A.695 law that had required the retail stores that provide plastic checkout bags to also offer paper bags as an alternative.

Businesses who violate this new bag law will be subject to a maximum fine of $250. 

The comprehensive ban does not apply to bags designed to hold bulk items such as fruit, vegetables, small hardware items or such, for sanitary or privacy purposes; certain specialty bags, such as garment bags; or bags sold in a package for uses such as food storage, garbage or pet waste. 

The law is intended to encourage consumers to switch to reusable or recycled paper bags, so that Oregon can reduce the amounts of single-use bags (either plastic or paper) that are used and thrown out. When plastic bags end up in recycling bins, they contaminate the recycling stream and endanger the safety of workers who must untangle them from recycling equipment. This is also a positive step to address the large amount of plastic debris in the oceans that threatens marine wildlife in Oregon and worldwide. 

This will definitely be a change for Oregonians, but also a major step forward in reducing plastic waste.