The Case for a Plastic Carryout Bag Tax in Memphis Memphis City Council, October 2018

Why impose a tax on single-use, non-recyclable plastic carryout bags??? 100 BILLION single-use carryout bags are used annually in America—the majority of which end up in landfills…where they take 1 THOUSAND years to decompose Single-use plastic bags never truly biodegrade, resulting in plastic pellets diverted in the water supply or leaking toxins into the ground; the impact on aquatic marine life is also adversely affected Jurisdictions that have implemented single-use bag bans, fees, or taxes have seen significant reductions in single-use bags, changed consumer behavior, and raised funding for important environmental remediation goals— improving citizen recreation, tourism, and urban beautification In FY17, City of Memphis Solid Waste spent $9.3 MILLION in landfill disposal costs, 40% of which was non-compostable Memphians deserve a sustainable environment.

Single-Use Plastics in the Environment Americans generate over 258 MILLION tons of waste annually Less than one-third of American waste is recycled or composted Single-use plastic bags are the fifth-most common single-use plastic found in the environment Less than 5 percent of the 100 BILLION+ single-use plastic bags are actually recycled Add a footer

Case Studies: D.C., Chicago, Boulder Benefits: Cultural shift Revenue Sustainability City Bag Reduction Revenue Washington, D.C. 72% 10M (10 years) Boulder, CO 70% 1M (5 years) Chicago, IL 48% 5M (1 year) Global trends: Australia, Chile, China, India, United Kingdom State-level: California, Hawaii… Other cities with fees: San Francisco Los Angeles Seattle Boston …Memphis??? [also proposed in Nashville] Memphians deserve strong environmental leadership.

A Plan for Long-Term Sustainability & Environmental Stewardship Attitudes (avoid tax) Action (BYO reusable bag) Results: less trash, landfill, cost Funding: land beautification Conservation education Minimal consumer and retailer impact Plastic (non-recyclable) carryout bags only Exceptions for restaurants Exceptions for SNAP, seniors, bulk items, prescriptions, newspapers, drycleaning, and similar-type bags Consumers have the CHOICE to “purchase” a bag/pay the tax/bring their own reusable bag Bonus funding for city beautification, conservation education, and environmental remediation

(Photo from Washington, D.C. bag tax) How could Memphians benefit from a dedicated stream of environmental use funds? Memphis City Beautiful projects Clean Memphis efforts Riverfront conservation School-age educational programs Environmental awareness campaigns (e.g. anti-littering) Purchase and distribution of reusable bags Homeowner subsidies for sustainable water use: e.g. install rain gardens, native vegetation, permeable pavement; landscape enhancements, such as rain barrels and shade trees (Photo from Washington, D.C. bag tax)