American Progressive Bag Alliance Testifies Against Plastic Bag Ban And Tax in Annapolis
Tax Would Pad the Profits of Grocers While Making Life Harder for the Most Vulnerable Marylanders
February 2, 2016 – American Progressive Bag Alliance (APBA) Chair Mark Daniels today testified in Annapolis against the latest state bill to ban and tax grocery bags. The bill seeks to ban 100 percent recyclable, multi-use plastic retail bags, and impose a minimum 10-cent fee on paper bags. The majority of the tax would be retained by grocers, instead of being dedicated to support environmental initiatives or another public purpose.
“When I first testified before this Committee six years ago, there were plenty of reasons not to ban or tax a 100 percent recyclable and reusable product. Now, there are even more,” Daniels said during a Senate Education Health & Environmental Affairs Committee hearing. “Plastic bag ordinances aren’t smart policy and don’t achieve the desired results—plain and simple. Moreover, they particularly hurt our most vulnerable citizens.”
Bill Ebeck, an employee of an Elkridge, Md. plastic bag manufacturer also testified. He said, “If passed, this legislation will severely impact our business, and the jobs of those who work for us, all without achieving any meaningful benefits for the environment. Advance Polybag is committed to driving positive change in our communities, from reducing overall waste and litter to educating people about simple recycling methods. The bill currently up for consideration is not the solution, and I urge you to consider other means of addressing litter.”
The testimony of the APBA representatives aimed to educate Maryland’s elected officials on the negative consequences of the bill and asked lawmakers to work with the plastic bag industry to find better recycling-based solutions. Also this week, APBA released a radio advertisement to inform Marylanders about how bag taxes and bans would hurt families in the state. The APBA also created www.bagthebanmaryland.com as a resource for all Marylanders to learn more about the bill and to communicate directly with their state legislators.
About the American Progressive Bag Alliance (APBA)
The American Progressive Bag Alliance was founded in 2005 to represent the United States’ plastic bag manufacturing and recycling sector, employing 30,800 employees in 349 communities across the nation. APBA promotes the responsible use, reuse, recycling and disposal of plastic bags and advocates for American-made plastic products as the best environmental choice at check out—for both retailers and consumers.
Contact: Todd Deutsch
202-551-9847
Todd.Deutsch@edelman.com
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