Loudoun County may be up next for a plastic bag fee in Virginia (see here and here)!

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will vote in January whether to adopt the bag ordinance, which would produce a potential revenue of $275,000 to $340,000 in 2023 for things like environmental cleanup, education programs to reduce environmental waste, mitigating pollution and litter, or providing reusable bags to recipients of benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program in the county.

As we may already know, bag fees are an equitable, economically viable, environmentally friendly and safe (re: human health) way to reduce plastic pollution. Take a look at our bag bill busting resource for talking points that counter common misconceptions used as support against a bag bill.

From these talking points, we’re reminded 1) bag bills are a user fee, not a tax, since at any time you can elect out of it, and 2) plastic bag fees reduce plastic pollution in a way that does not disproportionately harm vulnerable communities, such as low income or BIPOC communities.

Fingers crossed for Loudoun County! Passing a bag bill would be a great way to kick off the new year in a green way.