CONCORD – House Republican Leader Dick Hinch issued a statement relative to the public hearing on amendment 2019-2820h to HB559, which has a public hearing at 1:00pm today, Tuesday, November 5th.
The amendment, sponsored by House Municipal & County Government Committee Chair Clyde Carson (D-Warner) requires businesses that distribute plastic and paper bags to customers at the checkout counter provide bags made only of recycled material, and that businesses must charge a fee of 10 cents per bag.
“I believe there are better ways to help consumers make informed decisions other than forcing stores to charge consumers ten cents per bag. This is nothing more than a heavy handed mandate to address a problem that state officials have disclosed does not exist. Many businesses already incentivize use of reusable bags by providing discounts to consumers who bring their own rather than penalizing people who don’t. It’s a slippery slope, and I can only worry that we will see a plastic bottle tax, a plastic straw tax, or a coffee cup fee next. We do not need a bag tax in New Hampshire. Republicans will oppose this every step of the way.”
These are the same morons that told me earlier in my life we had to use plastic bags to save the trees……. FUCK THEM!
I agree that we need to find ways to reduce our pollution of plastics. I personally make the effort to use my own reusable bags when I shop. However, I do not agree that we should be imposing a fee to those who choose to continue to use plastic bags. Nor, do I agree with charging a fee to restaurants who use plastic to package food to go. (It’s not like we can bring in our own reusable food containers to them).
Walk through the grocery store and observe the amount of products wrapped in plastic. The produce department provides plastic bags for loose veggies. Potatoes, apples, salad kits, etc. are packaged with plastic bags. Move on to the deli where all products are packaged in some form of plastic. Now let’s look at the meat department, not only are all products wrapped in plastic, but most items are also sitting atop a styrofoam tray. The drink isle is loaded with (plastic) bottled water, wrapped in more plastic. Notice the amount of soda and juice that are sold in large plastic containers. Then there’s an isle that sells plastic wrap, plastic bags (both small and large)…toilet paper and paper towels are packaged in plastic…diapers, not only are they made of non-biodegradable materials, they are packaged in plastic. I can go on and on.
Moving out of the grocery store and over to our town and government buildings, notice that the trash cans have plastic bag liners. Many parks have plastic bag dispensers for picking up dogs waste, and many people reuse those “single use” plastic grocery bags for the same purpose. I’ll end my “tour of plastic” at our dumps / transfer stations; most, if not all, require us to use plastic bags to dispose our trash.
If we are sincerely concerned about the effects of plastic, there are many other areas we can focus our attention rather than “taxing” a shopping bag that carries out all the plastic wrapped products.