Plastic bags are everywhere. They fly down our streets, get caught in trees, and clog our waterways. The average American uses 10 plastic bags per week, adding up to 520 bags per year! Since 2014, Mr. Trash Wheel in Baltimore's Inner Harbor has collected over 431,000 plastic bags.

Right now, Baltimore City is considering Bill 19-0401 to ban free plastic bags at checkout and require a five cent fee for all other bags provided at checkout. 4 cents will go to the retailers, and the remaining cent will go to the city. When the bill was originally introduced, it exempted SNAP and WIC users from the 5 cent fee to ensure it didn't create a financial burden for those least able to afford it. That part of the bill has since been removed. We want to make sure Baltimore City's bag ban is strong and equitable by reinstating the fee exemption for SNAP/WIC users.

Baltimore City's leadership is important: after the city banned polystyrene foam in 2018, Maryland's General Assembly followed with a statewide ban in 2019. Now, it's time to lead the way by banning plastic bags in the fight to protect our neighborhoods and waterways from trash and litter.

Ask your Baltimore City Councilmember to support a strong and equitable bag ban today!