Updated: Tue Jul. 29 2008 18:29:11

ctvbc.ca

For months, politicians in Metro Vancouver have been going back and forth on what to do about plastic bags. Should they be banned? Should they be restricted? Or should they just be left alone?

In April, CTV news conducted an informal poll of Metro board members to see who supports a ban. The result was a resounding 'maybe' with 18 saying yes, but another 14 non-committal.

While our politicians talk, people and businesses are taking action. Pharmasave has switched to 100-per cent biodegradable bags, while other stores have given plastic the boot.

In Seattle, city councillors have taken another approach. Instead of a ban, they've voted to charge shoppers 20-cents per bag. It's hoped this hit to the wallet will make people think twice about plastic.

So if it works for Seattle - could it work here (in Metro Vancouver)?

Metro Vancouver Chair Lois Jackson thinks it might. "I think we should have a look at this," she said.

"It's always difficult for the public to accept additional legislation, heaven knows we've got a lot of it, but hopefully people will understand what we're trying to do here and will have a buy in," Jackson said.

Jackson says she's going to put the pay-per bag idea on the Metro board's agenda in the fall. She's hoping at least one Lower Mainland municipality will take the concept on as a pilot project.

But the plan is getting mixed reaction from the public.

One person who was interviewed by CTV said he wouldn't' be happy if he walked into Safeway and found that they were charging 20 cents for every bag.

"Groceries are dear enough anyways," he said.

Another person thinks plastic bags should be banned, outright.

However, Seattle's move to put a 20 cent charge on plastic bags is also getting a chilly reception from those pushing for a full plastic bag ban.

"I think it is a safer approach politically, but I don't think it's the best aproach as far as the environment's concerned so I'd rather go with the best approach," said Vancouver City Councillor Tim Stevenson.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Stephen Smart.

Comments are now closed for this story

Bob
Guess they missed the scientific breakthrough earlier this year by Daniel Burd, a 17-year-old from Waterloo, Ontario.

He found that two types of bacteria, Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas, break down the plastic. By isolating them and increasing the temperature, he was eventually able to break down the plastic.

Erika
Excellent and about time!
Hopefully Vancouver will follow soon!

Andrea
Hopefully, they won't ban the plastic bags in BC. A ban isn't necessary. We are able to recycle the currently available bags. There are biodegradable plastic bags available as well.

Lila
Before there is a ban on plastic bags, I would to see a ban on disposable diapers.

PL
What are we anyway!!! Monkey see, Monkey do!!! Come on , keep on legislating us to death. People in BC are pretty conscious of the problem and are already doing alot.

Kevin
No thank you.

Enough with the forced taxation in the name of the environment.

How about we don't tax plastic bags and drive up the cost of living further?

Why not offer a discount or rebate for those who use alternatives like cloth or paper bags?

Say a .20 cent refund for each non plastic bag or plastic bag being reused??

Why the need to keep adding to the cost of living?

People would reduce their plastic bag use AND at the same time help keep the cost of living down.

How about giving people a choice and reward them for making a conscious environment choice, rather than forcing taxes onto all people who are already stuggling to make ends meet?

Sean P.
Taxes and surcharges have no choice but to rise.

I'm sick to death of wealthy people buying $150 bottles of wine at my place of business (liquor store) and hearing them complain about how much it costs to fuel their BMW or yacht, while they still spend like idiots.

If the decadent western society refuses to properly redistribute its wealth, then a Marxist type of revolution should happen that would make Dion's green shift look like childs' play.

It should be illegal to earn over a certain figure, say $100,000 a year. The maximum tax rate should be raised to 110% to prohibit such useless wealth.

The rich must pay, and pay they shall!

Sue
Could stores not simply provide enviro-friendly bags rather than the plastic bags they dish out now? We now pay around 99c per bag for the privilege of helping the environment - perhaps 'plastic bag' customers should share this cost by having to buy plastic bags as in Seattle?

Bonnie
It's about time that people (and politicians) started acting more responsibly when it comes to environmental issues, so I would be glad to see a move towards getting rid of the plastic bags.

We have a long way to go to reducing wastefulness. This would be a good start.

Christine M.
Ok, this is really nothing new for anyone who's been to europe. Anyway, I think it'll help to get more people to switch.
We should concentrate on bigger issues, like compost pick up in the city or getting people out of their cars!

Henry Lorteau
anything to get money out of people.

Jack
As was discussed here in other comments, why not BIODEGRADABLE plastic bags??? Heck, even Barbados in the Caribbean uses them! Seriously, why not??

Bill
40 years ago when you went shopping you came out with paper bags. Paper is a renewable resource, and turns into compost in the ground. Paper bags were free as with plastic bags today. However, plastic is made from oil as are most 'green' nylon or poly reusable bags available 'for sale'.

Governments and local governments, are manipulating people with this whole green idea. If they can find a way to get it to look green, people, hoping to do the right thing will go along and pay to do so.

Wake up people. Stop dancing like puppets on strings pulled by the government and many so called green groups. who, believe it or not, are supported by the government.

Sally Tucker
STOP FINDING WAYS TO CHARGE US MORE MONEY! If they are all so concerned about "saving" the environment then please explain to me why more products are packaged in plastic? God! I am sick and tired of being taxed more, charged more all under the guise of the environment.What is that suppose to make me feel guilty or submissive or both? My name is Sally Tucker.

Lynn
Sean P.
Marxist?
They are rich and stupid and you are poor and stupid.
If you don't like it here then move to Cuba or China. Your Marxist opinion does nothing to change the problem.

Gord
Well done Pharmasave & welcome on board. IGA, London Drugs,Rodgers Video,Sportmart,Thrifty Foods and may other stores have offered these types of bags for months or even years. Are we thinking of a tax to help with a litter problem that we do not have? If you switch to a paper product 10 times thicker would you not just fill up the land fill sooner?

elizabeth
Hey folks, plastic bags are made from oil - we are running out of the stuff - that's why it is so expensive to fill your car. This isn't anything new - Australia does it and Europe has been doing it for years. Why do you need a plastic bag to carry your bottle of wine out to the car parked outside the door! I carry my pack pack & have some plastic bags in it in case I have frozen items. I'm 62 years old and have been doing this for a number of years.

GreenGirl
All you people complaining that a fee on plastic bags would cost you more money and you're struggling to make ends meet, or that this would be a money grab for the city - is it really that hard to just bring a bag you already have grocery shopping with you? If you can't afford $1 for a cloth bag, there's no reason you can't reuse the plastic bags the grocery store gave you last week. The whole point isn't to charge you more money - it's to get you to stop consuming new plastic bags every time you buy groceries.

lex
Superstore already charges for plastic bags... I think everyone else should too.. I use my canvas bags awhole lot more now...

Jim-Surrey
Good Grief after the consumer again. We didn't make the product and we didn't ask the stores for plastic so charge the actual distibutors of the non-eco friendly product and stay out of the consumers and tax payers back pocket!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike
Why do businesses choose to charge extra instead of rewarding those make an effort to be environmentally conscious? Because it's all about making money.

TLG
This seems like an easy way out. Instead of the city taking they aim to legislate a 20 cent fee on bags at the retails store level? All this will do is punish the front-line staff with consumer complaints etc. The city should take a more hands-on approach and aim to ban and/or reduce the use of plastic bags themselves and not just add a tax. Retailers are making initiatives to go green and offer re-usable bags. Now its time for the city to get on board, with more than just talk, and do the same!

matt
all i can say is,,i dont own a car,,i find lugging enviro bags to the store everytime a major hassle,,,although i do it,,sometimes i forget to bring them,and would be seriously peeved if i had to pay 20 cents a bag,,its like the looney and the toonie,,,rich people who make decisions don't have to be burdened by carrying these things around, they drive everywhere or have their "staff" do
it...HEY rich politicians when are YOU going to make a difference.

GS
All Plastic produced in North America comes from Natural Gas not oil as most people think. Before one makes a wrong decision they should know the facts. All plastic bags are able to be reused recycled and in their final stage can be converted waste to energy as is the case in Burnaby. Does one ever wonder what the large orange and white stack is for off marine drive?