Item B: Plastic Bag Ban - Laserfiche WebLink

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Electronic Benefits Transfer Cards for food stamps and TANF recipients) and 2) charging at least five- cents per bag. Enforcement of the ban would be the responsibility of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. If the bill passed, it would supersede any local ordinance either previously enacted or in the future. The City of Eugene Intergovernmental Review Committee reviewed the bill in January 2011 and passed a Priority 3 Support motion for the bill. The bill was reviewed in the Senate Rules Committee where it faced intense opposition from plastic bag manufacturer Hilex Poly. (Oregonian, 2011) Due to this opposition and the focus on budget hearings, the bill never made it to the Senate for a floor vote. Staff Analysis The bill garnered wide support from environmental groups including Environment Oregon, Surfrider Foundation, and the Sierra Club, as well from business groups including the Northwest Grocers Association and Association of Oregon Recyclers. The bill allowed for cost recovery by the retailers by setting a five-cent charge as a minimum standard. The ban was applied evenly to all retailers no matter the size or the type of business (with the exemption of dining establishments). The bill would set an “even playing field” across the state, which would decrease consumer confusion and allow for greater efficiencies for businesses operating in the state. While the bill was very comprehensive it did possess a few areas of concern. Enforcement responsibility was placed onto DEQ without identifying a funding mechanism to support the enforcement efforts. The bill also would nullify and preclude any local actions that had been implemented or would be implemented, including the establishment of a tax, fee, assessment, or surcharge. Without adequate state funding for enforcement, the City would be required to implement and enforce the ban without the means to raise funding to support implementation efforts. What are the environmental benefits? The three main environmental impacts identified in the majority of disposable bag ban discussions are 1) litter and its impacts on wildlife (particularly marine life), 2) waste reduction, and 3) life cycle environmental impacts. These areas of inquiry include evaluations of the environmental impacts of plastic bags and paper bags. Litter One of the most prevalent arguments for banning plastic bags is to reduce the amount of litter being produced and the subsequent adverse impact to wildlife. Litter impacts our communities as a nuisance that degrades our visual landscapes. It also impacts our infrastructure systems by clogging stormwater and wastewater systems. The City of Eugene Public Works Department does not track data on plastic bag impacts on maintenance and operations, but anecdotal information and photos show that plastic bags are part of the flotsam that clogs stormwater outfall systems and creates localized flooding. The impact of plastic pollution has the greatest impact on marine environments and wildlife populations. The following excerpt from, “Keeping Plastics out of Puget Sound” gives a clear picture as to the magnitude of the problem. (Krehbiel, 2011) “According to the United Nations Environment Programme, every square mile of ocean contains 46,000 pieces of floating plastic, on average. About one thousand miles off the Washington coast, more than 100 million tons of plastic garbage has concentrated in an area known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Churned by ocean currents, this toxic, plastic soup spans an area twice the 3 | Page