Toronto Council Votes to Ban Bags: Report

[Sherman A1]

TORONTO — A policy requiring retailers here to charge customers 5 cents for every plastic bag they issue has been rescinded in favor of an outright ban on plastic bags, published reports said.

The measure was approved by city council this week over the objection of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who had called for the tax to be rescinded but was surprised when the council then approved a separate ban measure, the Globe and Mail newspaper reported.

The “bag tax” went into effect in 2009 and has reduced plastic-bag use by 53%, the council said in a study. The proposed rule to ban bags outright would take effect Jan. 1.

http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/toronto-council-votes-ban-bags-report

[HopeHoops]

1. I prefer paper anyway - less likely to spill and stronger, also recyclable.

Yes, many stores have recycle cans for plastic bags, but few end up there. We've got a windsock looking thing hanging in the kitchen for plastic bags - stuff them in the top, pull them out from the bottom. We use them mostly for waste can liners and pretty much the only ones we throw out are those that were made wet by the contents (like ice cream, orange juice, and other things that sweat). The rest get reused at least once, often more than that.

We use the paper bags to set out newspapers and other paper/cardboard for the recycling truck. Our township contracted with a company that accepts pretty much every kind of paper including junk mail envelopes with plastic windows. If paper bags do escape into nature, they decompose very quickly with exposure to rain and sun light. The only "plastic" bags that do that are the ones made from vegetable starches and I haven't found any of those to be particularly strong (but it IS the right direction to go). The handles are also a major hazard for critters, mostly getting their necks stuck. And yes, I'm one of those people who cuts through every opening in a six pack holder before disposing of it.

[Sherman A1]

2. Agreed

and certainly you are doing some good deeds with your efforts. I too prefer paper bags, simply to collect the recycle paper as you mentioned and I find that placing one upside down on the basket for the shredder, makes it easy to empty. I too attempt to recycle everything possible and our county has now provided (mandated) us with single stream recycling wheeled cans for which we are now required to pay for weekly trash pickups. Previously I was taking everything to our city recycle center and working a deal with the neighbor for our single bag of weekly trash, saving me about $400.00 per year.