County plastic bag tax bill will be introduced - News - The Diamondback - University of Maryland

For county consumers, a proposed 5- cent plastic bags tax could make shopping at retail stores a bit more expensive.

Prince George's County will look to join both Montgomery County and Washington in promoting sustainable consumer practices, as both state and county officials push for legislation that would encourage the use of reusable shopping bags in the county. The state legislature, led by the efforts of Del. Barbara Frush (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George's) and Sen. Paul Pinsky (D-Prince George's), will present a bill in the next legislative session to allow the county council to impose mandatory fees on customers when using disposable bags at retail stores.

The legislation will encourage customers to bring reusable shopping bags to stores, which would cut down on the use of plastic bags, according to District 1 Councilwoman Mary Lehman. Plastic bags have proven to be a significant pollutant in the area, specifically the Anacostia River, according to Brent Bolin, director of advocacy at the Anacostia Watershed Society, a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to restoring the river.