The Washington State Senate recently passed legislation that aims to reduce plastic bag use. It now heads to the House for approval.
The idea was – not surprisingly – met with mixed reaction and has led to more questions. Below are some questions we got from KING 5 viewers:
Q: Why can't we use biodegradable bags?
A: That has been tried by some companies.
PepsiCo, for example, tried packaging SunChips in biodegradable plant material. They stopped because consumers thought it was too noisy.
Q: Why not penalize people who litter or do not recycle plastic bags properly?
A: Washington state has litter laws.
Littering, illegal dumping, and driving with uncovered loads could result in hefty fines. Littering is punishable by fines ranging from $50 to $5,000. The largest fines are for throwing out "lit debris," primarily cigarettes, as well as large items that can cause traffic accidents.
Some local jurisdictions have litter laws more strict than state law. Police, deputies, and health departments carry out most enforcement.
Q: What's the most important thing we can do?
A: Use your bags multiple times and only consume what you need to.
Q: How do we remove plastic from entering oceans?
A: By increasing proper disposal.
In the U.S., we're 20th on the list for worst polluters. We use more plastic per person than other countries in the world, but because we have better disposal, we have less pollution.
