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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Council Fee For Plastic Bags Out, Total Ban In?

City Council's Committee on the Environment is now meeting on measures by Councilmen Frank DiCicco and Jim Kenney to cut down on littering by placing a fee on the use of plastic bags by stores or out right banning the bags.  DiCicco decided today to not move forward with the plastic bag fee, which previously found support on the committee and was prepared for a vote by the full Council.

DiCicco pulled that bill from consideration last week after some of his colleagues had second thoughts.  PhillyClout hears Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. led that call for reconsideration. 

That leaves DiCicco and Kenney this morning with their other bill, which calls for a "mandatory use of recyclable and compostable" bags at stores.  That would add up to a full ban on plastic bags.  DiCicco is now debating the issue in Council with a lobbyist from the plastic bag industry, who is saying that compostable bags cause just as much trash and use as much energy to produce and recycle as plastic bags.

UPDATE, 10:10 am:  Shari Jackson of Progressive Bag Affiliates -- an arm of the American Chemistry Council -- drew Kenney's ire when she spoke of the industry's efforts against litter.  Kenney noted that the city still has plastic bags blowing around on streets, stuck in trees and floating in rivers.

"Obviously, more needs to be done," Jackson said.

"Like banning them," Kenney retorted.

UPDATE, 10:40 am:  The committee just unanimously approved the legislation banning the type of plastic bags typically used at supermarkets and pharmacies in the city. Those bags will have to be replaced after July 1, 2011 with recyclable paper bags, compostable plastic bags or reusable bags. An amendment also calls for education programs in consultation with retailers and environmental advocacy groups to explain the measure to consumer before it is enforced.  DiCicco is aiming for a final vote by the full Council next week, before the start of a three-month recess.

Posted by Chris Brennan @ 9:32 AM  Permalink | 46 comments
Comments   
Posted 10:36 AM, 06/10/2009
dreinterests
or fining people for littering. walk around and watch people dump trash with reckless abandon.
Posted 10:55 AM, 06/10/2009
CleanupPhilly
What about deli bags? The little black plastic take out bags the kids just throw on the ground the moment they get their soda and chips out.
Posted 10:58 AM, 06/10/2009
CleanupPhilly
But seriously, Council is about to go into summer recess, and the haven't proposed legislation to fix the BRT, haven't fixed the $1 billion in forfeit bail, passed Nutter's requested ethics legislation, or even talked about how to legislatively fix the collection of half a billion in overdue property taxes. There's been no revisiting the budget since the new revenue numbers have come out, or a revision of the plan for the budget if the sales tax hike doesn't pass. Doesn't that strike people as reckless to the point of insanity?
Posted 10:59 AM, 06/10/2009
CleanupPhilly
The state is going to have to take over the row offices charged with assessing and collecting revenue for the city. Council simply can't face the task.
Posted 11:03 AM, 06/10/2009
CleanupPhilly
Every taxpayer in PA pays for Philly, so everyone has an interest in having Philly get its budget and revenue matters right. It has to fix property tax assessments and collection, and collect forfeit bail, and Council is obsessed with banning bags as if this would give the city the gloss of progress. Everyone who doesn't live in Philly has an interest in getting the message to their state legislator that the state has to be more proactive in solving Philly's financial crisis by not giving Philly more money or bailing it out, and mandating state legislative solutions to long-term Philly patronage and mismanagement. Council is not able. They are screaming it loud and clear.
Posted 11:20 AM, 06/10/2009
longshanks
Fine the stores that distribute the bags and don't clean up their parking lots, allowing these bags to blow around the city. Philly is the home of the white trash Christmas tree: a city tree dotted with plastic supermarket bags. They should also ban potato chips in Philly because it seems that 90% of Philly residents eat potato chips and then throw the bags in the street. Let's face it, this city is full of some of the scummiest and laziest people on earth, it will most likely never be considered a "clean" city.
Posted 11:34 AM, 06/10/2009
centercitysam
from the same group that banned nuclear carriers at the PNY
Posted 11:38 AM, 06/10/2009
my3cents
I guess I'll be leaving my dogs sh*t on the street...
Posted 11:41 AM, 06/10/2009
bird11
Great now nobody in my neighborhood will pick up after their dog!!!!
Posted 11:46 AM, 06/10/2009
jfar86
Good to see Council wasting their time fighting over plastic bags, while ignoring the many real problems facing the city.
Posted 12:05 PM, 06/10/2009
Criz2020
Thats it as promised I will be filling my SUV with plastic bags from the Acme and driving all thru the city letting them stream out my windo in retaliation, all the while I run over polar bears. That certainly is not more rediculous than the whack job with all the bags he/she made an entire outfit out of. I hope they inhale one of those and choke on it....City council should be ashamed for passing such a meaningless law. God I am glad I live just outside the city- don't pay taxes to the money suckhole that is Philadelphia. So they are going to spend money educating people to recycle/reuse bags- are you f'n kidding me. Typical Dem's throw money at it that will solve the problem.
Posted 12:26 PM, 06/10/2009
democratsruinedthecity
god forbid people have self-accountability and dont throw their trash around. typical dem bs.
Posted 12:28 PM, 06/10/2009
Bud Fox
I love when the best solution people can come up with for something they don't like is "ban it!"
Posted 12:37 PM, 06/10/2009
longshanks
Well Criz2020 if you live outside the city then nobody really cares what you have to say. Stick to your boring vanilla township. Blaming Dems is so ignorant. It's better than handing out millions to rich CEOs. Dumb sheep.
Posted 12:42 PM, 06/10/2009
gnit2
libs are pathetic!!!!
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About Chris Brennan and Catherine Lucey
PhillyClout
Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns.

Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002. Since then she has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. For the past two years, she covered the 2007 mayoral election. Now that the battle is over, she has moved down to the City Hall bureau where she will report on the Nutter administration.

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