Richmond shoppers could soon be paying for disposable plastic bags
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- There could soon be a tax on disposable plastic bags within the city of Richmond.
During a regular meeting on Wednesday, May 21, the Richmond City Council's Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee recommended the full city council approve a five-cent tax on plastic bags.
Specifically, the ordinance would levy a five-cent tax on each disposable plastic bag provided to consumers by grocery stores, convenience stores and drug stores in Richmond. These stores would be asked to collect this tax from their shoppers -- but the city will collect the appropriate amount in taxes whether said stores charge consumers or not.
Exceptions to this proposed taxation include:
- Reusable plastic bags
- Disposable plastic bags that are "solely used to wrap, contain or package" items like ice cream, meat, fish and other similar food items for the purpose of avoiding contamination
- Disposable plastic bags used to carry dry cleaning
- Disposable plastic bags used to carry prescription medications
- Disposable plastic bags sold in packages for use as garbage, pet waste or leaf-removal bags
Each store that collects this tax from its consumers would be able to keep one cent from each bag taxed, according to the ordinance's text. Stores could also be eligible for deductions on their tax returns if they retain a discount under this ordinance.
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If this proposal is approved, revenue generated by this tax should go towards initiatives like addressing pollution and litter, environmental cleanup and related educational programs. The funds would also be used, in part, to provide reusable bags to Richmond residents who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program benefits.
Richmond City Council will review this ordinance during its next regular meeting, which will be held at 6 p.m. on May 27.
